CHILDREN have been repeatedly breaking into derelict buildings and building sites in Hyndburn to play, according to police.

Problems have been happening at housing demolition sites off Blackburn Road in Church and Oswaldtwistle, where the police have been called several times a week.

Youngsters are also regularly reported in areas where several streets have been demolished across from the Church and Oswaldtwistle gateway area on Blackburn Road.

Police said no incidents of damage or arson were taking place but talks were being held with security staff to prevent children from accessing dangerous areas.

Similar problems of youngsters putting themselves in danger have been experienced in Thorneyholme Road, Accrington and Kirk Road, Church.

Before work on the borough’s major new play area at Thorneyholme Road was recently finished, officers were getting numerous reports of youngsters breaking into the fenced-off building site and drinking alcohol within.

Numerous probl-ems with break-ins at the derelict old Malto factory at Church Bank Mill, off St James Road and Kirk Road, Church also saw security at the site stepped up.

Both the site owners and police officers made extra patrols after the building, thought to contain asbestos, went up in flames.

Church Neighbourhood Beat Manager PC Mark Parrington said incidents at the Kirk Road site had dropped dramatically after police contacted the building’s owners but warned that similar break-ins were still happening elsewhere.

He said: “Derelict buildings and building sites have all sorts of dangers, such as asbestos and machinery.

“They can be very dangerous areas and is the last sort of place that children should be playing.

“Parents who think their children may be going on to these sites should be speaking to them to explain the dangers.”

Problems with break-ins at the former Malto factory led to numerous call outs for fire crews to deliberate incidents before a major blaze saw flames visible more than two miles away.