A FIRE chief has warned that young intruders are putting themselves in danger looking for scraps of copper in an old electric sub-station.

It is thought that youngsters are sneaking into the bricked up property on Jameson Road, Fleetwood, in the middle of the night and burning insulated items to find metal inside.

A fire in the building was the third reported in the past three months.

Fleetwood Fire Station Officer Ian Garrod warned they could be inhaling extremely hazardous chemicals.

"These people are breaking in under the cover of darkness and are putting themselves at a great risk of a personal injury, for example if something falls on them or if they slip, as well as the risk of inhaling dangerous substances like asbestos.

"The lengths these people will go to is quite unbelievable."

Passers-by have reported seeing smoke rising from the building and although the fire on Tuesday caused limited damage, police believe that this is a continuing problem.

Insp Martin Leveridge said: "It's a continual cycle of damage to the premises and there's obviously a draw to these materials inside.

"The obvious option is to decontaminate and demolish the site. It's going to be expensive but we have to think of public safety and the safety of police officers attending the scene."

A Wyre Borough spokesperson said that the council was aware that the building contained hazardous material. "Warning signs alert the public to the dangers and anybody breaking into this building may run a serious risk of developing long term health problems. The public is strongly urged to keep well away from this site."

The building is owned by Lancashire County Council and United Utilities who are involved in talks to turn the site into a nature area. Joyce Lynch from Lancashire County Council says that discussion is under way to destroy the building and until then they are taking action to try and make the site as secure as possible.