27/11/2006 - Media opportunity: Drama aims to fight arson in Cumbria : Cumbria County Council

Fire-raising in Cumbria is being targeted by an innovative drama scheme which aims to prevent malicious fires that cost the county an estimated £1.2 million a year.

Pupils are being asked to consider the consequences of malicious fires through a series of special school plays which are being organised by Cumbria & Rescue Service.

Members of the media are invited to see the Stop Watch Theatre Company perform its play 'Arson About' at Cleator Moor's Ehenside School on Thursday 30 November, at 11:15am.

Performances of the plays in secondary schools across West Cumbria have been made possible through the support of Washington Group International, which is providing valuable funding. Washington Group is a major engineering and project management company which has been involved in nuclear waste clean-up in Cumbria.

Its Operations Director for West Cumbria, Iain Irving, said: ”Safety is the number one priority in all that Washington Group do, so we are clearly delighted to be able to assist the Fire Service with such an important community programme.”

The hard hitting play tells the story of friends Ian, Molly and Stueey, who break into their school one night with tragic consequences.

Firefighters from Whitehaven will also be on hand at the Cleator Moor school to show pupils around one of the town’s fire engines and drive home the anti-firestarting message.

Around 40 per cent of all property and vehicle arson is linked to youth crime while around 60 per cent of the 1,200 reported fires in schools in England each year are deliberate.

Initiatives like the Young Firefighters scheme and the Firesetter Intervention Programme are already helping Cumbria’s Fire & Rescue Service to tackle the problem. Since 2003, Cumbria has seen a 21 per cent drop in fire crimes.

County councillor Geoff Hodgson, cabinet member responsible for Cumbria’s Fire and Rescue Service, said:

“Fire crimes like arson and setting vehicles alight cause the Fire and Rescue Service severe problems and can have potentially life threatening consequences.

“This play is all part of our on-going efforts to drive down fire crime through early and effective work with young people.”

Media enquiries to Mark Graham, Media Officer on 01228-606337

Notes for Editors

Several schools in Copeland and Allerdale will see the play between now and the New Year. They are:

Wyndham School, Egremont - Monday 27 November

St Joseph's RC High School, Workington- Wednesday 29 November

Ehenside School, Cleator Moor - Thursday 30 November