It costs Cleveland Fire Brigade between £400 and £500 each time they are called out to a minor fire.

That amounts to between £64,400 and £80,500 for the 160 calls they have had to the towns most targeted sites.

Police chiefs have vowed to back their colleagues in the fire service in fighting against arsonists targeting the Hartlepool sites and say they will take action against the culprits.

Cleveland Fire Brigade has created a list of sites in Hartlepool that are most at risk of being targeted by yobs starting fires.

The eight sites considered as being most at risk have suffered 160 arson attacks since they were put on the brigade's risk register.

Tunstall Court, in the West Park area of Hartlepool, is classed as the most at risk from attacks, along with Steetley, Barnshaw Bending, Morison Hall, the former marine works on Cleveland Road, the Dalton Lodge pub, and the Summerhill Country Park.

A further 19 are regularly monitored by Cleveland Fire Brigade's specialist arson unit, along with police and Hartlepool Borough Council officers, to ensure they are secure.

Gary Mason, arson reduction officer for Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: "The inside of these buildings are really dangerous and most cases it is breaking the law through trespassing and starting fires.

"These nuisance fires are detracting away from the real problems. It is almost as bad as prank 999 calls because we have got three pumps called out to put someone's discarded rubbish out.

"If you take into account the costs it is between £400 and £500 a call, that's where taxpayers money is going."

Police say arson is a key area they are targeting to tackle crime and say they will prosecute anyone caught starting fires.

Response policing inspector Helen Eustace, of Hartlepool Police, said: "Arson is an extremely serious offence and it can obviously pose a risk to property and even to lives.

"Anyone caught committing this crime can expect to be dealt with severely."

Neighbourhood policing Sergeant Cath Campbell added: "Each of our PCSOs has a neighbourhood profile which includes any high risk properties within their remit.

"These officers carry out regular patrols to check that all is as it should be with regard to these buildings.

"Frequent patrols mean we can take rapid action if necessary, thus minimising risk to the public and to the premises themselves."

Alison Mawson, the council's head of community safety and prevention, said: "Tackling arson is one of the top priorities for the Safer Hartlepool Partnership and the council, police and fire brigade are all working very closely together.

"We have a number of initiatives to tackle arson hot-spots and the three organisations will continue to work together in the months ahead to implement further preventative measures."