Firefighters from Cumbria will be helping youngsters to brush up on their soccer skills at a special event in Penrith on Wednesday (5 March).
Crews will be swapping hoses for headers in a portable 'football cage' which will be set up at Penrith Rugby Club from 3:30pm. Print and broadcast journalists are invited to attend.
The ‘streetcage soccer' facility is used in Merseyside to reduce arson and other forms of anti-social behaviour by helping firefighters forge closer links with young people.
It is being showcased as part of special two-day conference in Penrith to mark a new partnership between firefighters from Cumbria, Merseyside, South Yorkshire and Hampshire on youth engagement.
Merseyside has recently won plaudits for its work in cutting the number of malicious fires started by young people.
The information sharing initiative includes a firefighter exchange programme where crews will see first-hand look how different services tackle the problem of young fire-starters.
The Penrith venue is also an opportunity to show case Cumbria's trailblazing work with young people and will include a demonstration of the county's mobile skate-park which is already helping Barrow firefighters to get important fire safety messages across to young people in the town.
Councillor Gary Strong, cabinet member for Community Development and Safety at Cumbria County Council, said: “Around 40 per cent of all property and vehicle arson is linked to youth crime.
“Fire crimes like arson and hoax calls cause the Fire and Rescue Service severe problems and can have potentially life-threatening consequences.
“This new partnership will help Cumbrian firefighters build on their success in tackling fire crimes and encourage more young people to get involved in positive activities.”