North Wales' Arson Reduction Team is appealing to residents in Caernarfon to prevent the trend for deliberate fires in the town from turning into a serious problem.

Firefighters have responded to nine separate deliberate fires since the 1st of April. The fires have all been grass and gorse fires and have taken place in different areas including Llanberis Road, Bangor Road, Maesincla, Ffordd Waunfawr and Lon Arfon.

Kevin Jones, Arson Reduction Manager said: "We've noticed a surge in these deliberate fires since the 1st of April, and we're to tackle the problem before it starts by educating youngsters about the consequences of fires and appealing to local residents to report the culprits.

"We've working with North Wales Police to get our messages across, and would appeal to the community to work with us on this issue.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to appeal to parents to be aware of the whereabouts of their children and impress upon them the message that deliberate fires endanger lives.

"Deliberate fires like grass and bin fires can place tremendous pressure on resources, with our crews tied up for a considerable length of time trying to bring them under control. This can prevent them from attending life critical incidents.

"Remember - setting fires is a criminal offence and we are actively working alongside North Wales Police to combat deliberate incidents, employing the police helicopter to pinpoint the fires and to look out for perpetrators.

"Anyone with information on such crimes is advised to anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."