Appliances from Stranton and the Headland stations in Hartlepool were called to a blaze in a derelict shed at the Steetley site in Old Cemetery Road.

The sheds around the area have been targeted by arsonists over recent months, and it is thought the blaze was started deliberately. Watch manager Ged Suggitt, who took charge of 10 firefighters at the incident, said: "We can't just ignore the fact there is a fire, but it is frustrating when we are almost sure the cause of the fire is not accidental. In this case, there was a pile of rubbish including timber and tyres that was well alight when we got to the scene.

"We had an appliance from Stranton and another from the Headland, and it was just a case of getting the fire out and damping it down. This is one of the areas that has been highlighted in the Grot Spots campaign in the Mail, and we are called out regularly to it.

"When you think that two of our appliances are taken up at incidents like this, it is a waste of our resources if there is another incident elsewhere in town."
The crews were called to the scene at 4.50pm, and spen