A CAMPAIGN to tackle the rise in nuisance blazes in Pendle has been taken into the classroom by community firefighters.

An eight to 10 per cent rise in the rate of deliberate smaller-scale incidents, like rubbish being torched, wheelie-bins set alight and grass fires, was reported across the borough for the first three months of this year.

And with the school holidays fast approaching, fire chiefs are anxious to drive the message home that such fires can waste valuable resources for the Lancashire brigade.

Phil Emmott, Pendle's fire community safety manager, said: "We have got a real problem with deliberate and secondary fires, like for instance where rubbish has been set alight or fires started in bins.

"So we have decided to go into school assemblies to give talks to pupils about our health and safety message, before they break up for the six weeks holiday."

The 15-minute presentation, by Mr Emmott and his colleagues, will be followed by safety leaflets which the children can take home and share with their parents.

Last week talks took place at West Street Primary and Park Primary in Colne and Bradley Primary in Nelson.

And similar advice was given to youngsters at Holy Saviour Primary in Nelson and Reedley Primary today.

Work on fire safety has been stepped up borough-wide after it also emerged that the number of house fires in Pendle was nearly 20 per cent higher than anticipated.

Earlier this year Coun David Whipp, Pendle Community Safety Partnership chairman, said: “In no way do we want to preach at people.

"We just want everyone to be aware of the facts and how they can keep themselves safe.

“Fires are not only dangerous to the people in the house at the time, but can also cause serious upset for relatives and neighbours, not to mention the threat to firefighters.”