LANCASHIRE has one of the highest level of arson attacks in the country, according to official statistics.

There were more than 2,500 fires which were deliberately started in the county in 1997 while no other shire county got over 2,000.

The figures were revealed in a Home Office study into how to tackle the serious problem of arson.

Home Office Minister George Howarth revealed the report "Safer Communities - towards effective arson control" and called for urgent action to tackle the problem.

In Lancashire in 1997 there were 2,661 arson attacks - more than in some metropolitan areas including South Yorkshire where there were just 2,467.

Mr Howarth said something had to be done to tackle the problem which costs £1.5 million a day and that in the average week saw 3,500 deliberately started fires in England and Wales causing 50 injuries, two deaths and a cost of society of at least £25 million.

The report makes 22 recommendations urging greater liaison between the fire brigade, the police, local authorities and insurance companies.

It said that proper strategies were needed to improve prevention, detection and prosecution of arsonists.

The offence has one of the lowest clear-up rates of any major crime at only 16 per cent and only one per cent of deliberate fires reported by the fire service result in conviction.

While the number of arson attacks recorded by the fire service rose by 78 per cent between 1990 and 96 in the same period prosecution or cautions fell by 34 per cent.

Mr Howarth said: "The government is committed in reducing the incidents of arson fires and delivering communities which are safer from the risk of fire.

"Arson is a complex crime. Its effects are devastating. No single agency can tackle the problem on its own."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.