Firefighters fought hundreds of needless blazes across Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire last summer, new figures reveal.

Emergency teams from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service worked throughout the hot summer months of 2016 dealing with arson attacks on homes, vehicles, grasslands and derelict buildings.

Across East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire, there were 147 fires set deliberately, with 25 of these affecting fields and countryside.

A further 96 fires involved bins or garbage being setting alight.

The number of incidents rose from the previous year, when 136 ‘secondary’ fires were set deliberately.

Now a campaign has been launched to crack down on such incidents this summer.

Assistant Chief Officer Dave McGown, SFRS director of prevention and protection, said: “We have a zero tolerance approach to deliberate fireraising because it puts our communities at risk.

“It presents a danger to life, property and the environment.

“We will continue to work very closely with our police and local authority partners to ensure that those responsible are identified and dealt with accordingly.

“It absolutely goes without saying that we prefer to prevent fires – not fight fires.

“As a result, our firefighters work extremely hard to engage with the public and promote safety messages in order to keep our communities as safe as possible.

“We would ask parents and carers to help us also by discussing summer fire safety with young people. Together, we can work towards a fire-free summer.”

SFRS is also urging anyone with information about deliberate fireraising to contact the free and confidential Crimestoppers helpline on 0800 555 111.

Mr McGown added: “Deliberate fires have victims, costs and consequences. Fire-setting is an offence. Don’t accept it, report it.”