Campaign to stop arson attacks

RUBBISH strewn across streets and wheelie bins scattered across alleyways - it's not only a scene unpleasant to the eye but a serious fire hazard. Since December fire fighters in Great Yarmouth have dealt with dozens of rubbish and wheelie bin fires - distracting crews from potentially life-threatening incidents.

RUBBISH strewn across streets and wheelie bins scattered across alleyways - it's not only a scene unpleasant to the eye but a serious fire hazard.

Since December fire fighters in Great Yarmouth have dealt with dozens of rubbish and wheelie bin fires - distracting crews from potentially life-threatening incidents.

To combat the recent rise in rubbish fires Norfolk Fire Service has teamed up with officers from local safer neighbourhood teams to produce and deliver a leaflet, giving residents simple steps to take to prevent their bin becoming a target.

Station manager John Baker said there had been a rise in rubbish fires in Yarmouth since early December, and they often happened where bins had been put out for collection and left out.

And Mr Baker stressed these incidents could have serious consequences if the fires got out of control.

He said: “If a bin is set alight and pushed against a house the fire could spread to the fascias. While we are fighting these wheelie bin fires we are not available for perhaps more serious incidents.”

Leaflets have been delivered to more than 1,400 homes in Yarmouth in an attempt to get residents more savvy towards arsonists who target wheelie bins and piles of rubbish in the town on a weekly basis.

Last week the Mercury published a picture showing dozens of bins strewn across the alleyway between Harley Road and Garfield Road, Yarmouth, exactly the kind of scene the fire service and police want to avoid.