A CAMPAIGN has been launched to tackle deliberate fires and anti-social behaviour in Earlestown.

St Helens Council has joined forces with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police in the operation aimed at reducing the number of deliberate fire settings and the problems it can bring for residents across the borough.

As part of the campaign, firefighters will be conducting home fire safety checks and assessing potential risks in the community to encourage everyone to look after their area and reduce the risks of becoming a target of arson.

Cllr Lisa Preston, St Helens Council’s member of Merseyside Fire Authority, said: “We know how much of a blight anti-social behaviour, particularly when it involves starting fires, can have on communities and the devastation this kind of anti-social behaviour can cause.

"We are committed to supporting our partners in Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police in this project to reduce these types of crime.”

Cllr Jeanie Bell, cabinet lead for safer communities, who also joined the partnership in Earlestown on Tuesday, added: “This is just one of the many ways we are working with our partners to make sure we protect vulnerable residents against the real dangers that people who deliberately set fire can cause.

"This joint working helps us to make a big impact on our communities despite the financial pressures we all face and the demand on our officers.”

The project will visit different areas and give support to communities to reduce fire related anti-social behaviour.