Firefighters' message after deliberate fires in Preston last night

The two calls-out in the city meant fire engines had to be sent out to tackle them when they might have been needed for genuine emergencies.

The first incident occurred at 7.45pm when a fire crew were called out to an incident in Moor Park, when a basket in the play area was set alight.

An hour later, rubbish was ignited on Raven Street, close to the city's main fire station, resulting in an other call-out.

Crew manager Chris Wales said: "They have to realise that if the public needed assistance for a more serious incident, these kind of deliberate fires could affect our response and potentially cost lives."