A FIREFIGHTER has backed advice aimed at reducing the number of car fires in the district after they reached "staggering" levels this year.

And Sub-officer Pete Smith, of Kidderminster Fire Station, believes many of the 120 fires could have been avoided if vehicles had not been made such a tempting target for criminals.

He said: "Of the fires, nearly 100 were started deliberately to cover criminal activity, make a fraudulent insurance claim or as an act of vandalism.

"Many of the cars end up abandoned off the road, often in conservation areas, and then the remains are not only a hazard to the public in general but also the environment and wildlife."

He said the advice about reducing vehicle crime from the Wyre Forest Community Safety Partnership was particularly helpful in attempting to cut the number of car fires.

It recommends parking cars in well-lit areas at night, using anti-theft devices, hiding property inside vehicles and locking cars even when they are in garages.

Mr Smith added: "The time spent by firefighters dealing with these incidents means they are not available for other calls, and the police also spend valuable time gathering details of the car owners."