Youngsters in Shropshire are being warned not to play with matches, after a spate of deliberately started blazes.Telford firefighters spent Wednesday night tackling a number of blazes thought to have been started by children.

Today they warned youngsters not to play with matches because they could be putting themselves and others at risk, as well as diverting resources from other emergencies.

Firefighters were called to a field between Shawbirch and High Ercall at 7pm and put out a fire with beaters.

About 100 sq metres of long grass was destroyed. Leading firefighter Gareth Walker, from Telford Central fire station, said he believed the fire may have been started by children playing with matches.

“The wind was favourable and we were able to put it out with beaters,” he said. “It was completely blackened.”

Officers were also called to a small fire started by children behind a derelict unit on the Tweedale industrial estate at 8pm and a rubbish fire started by children in a field at the back of Abraham Darby School at 8.25pm.

Mr Walker said the youngsters who started the Tweedale fire had been “caught in the act” by a member of the public and the fire had been put out by police officers.

“Be careful,” he said. “If they can avoid playing with matches, this time of year, particularly now everything is drying out.

“They are really causing a risk to themselves as well as the damage they can cause and of course it ties up an appliance which could be getting out to a life risk.”

A crew from Ellesmere, which was training at Telford Central, tackled a bonfire at a property at Wantage, Woodside, because the Telford Crews were out dealing with fires elsewhere.

“That goes to prove how sometimes the resources can be stretched,” said Mr Walker.

“There was quite a bit of activity for us caused by children.”

By Deborah Collins