Bradford is on course to remain West Yorkshire's worst hotspot for arson attacks.

A staggering eight out of ten blazes attended by Bradford fire crews are started deliberately.

And West Yorkshire fire chiefs estimate by the end of 2007/8, the number of arson attacks in the district will number more than 4,000 - outstripping their reduction targets by more than 600.

A report which is to be discussed by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority tomorrow shows that while the overall number of fires is falling, arson is on the increase.

Keith Robinson, Bradford district manager for West Yorkshire Fire Service, acknowledged the city remained a problem area.

He said: "Arson does remain higher here then others, but we need to carry on working with the Arson Task Force and Bradford Council.

"It is a long-term goal for us to get this down - we will get there.

"It is just a case that it isn't going to happen overnight."

While the number of fires attended in Leeds between April 1 and September 30 was higher than in Bradford, the percentage of those caused deliberately was slightly lower.

In Bradford, 83 per cent of all fires were deemed to be deliberate, while in Kirklees that figure was 74 per cent and in Calderdale it averaged out at 78 per cent.

Mr Robinson said: "I wish I had the answers to the million dollar question as to why it happens more in Bradford."

Based on the first six months figures, it is expected the overall number of deliberate fires will rise to 4,168 in 2007/8 compared to 3,891 in 2006/7. If estimates prove correct this will be highest number since 2003/4.

The figures show that between March and September, all six fires recorded at schools and further education buildings in the Bradford area were started deliberately.

Of the 336 vehicle fires dealt with by fire crews, 295 were deemed to be arson while 96 per cent of the 1,100 bin fires were also started deliberately.

In 2006/7, the total percentage of deliberate fires in Bradford was 80 per cent, while West Yorkshire as a whole was 78 per cent.

Arson reduction advisor Gurdev Bagri, of the Arson Task Force, said he is sure the latest figures would be even higher if the task force had not been as active.

He said: "I think the task force is definitely working.

"The bonfire period was busy, but also in Bradford some of the contributory reasons, I think, is that there is a lot of work going on, so there are a lot of skips and rubbish being left about which we work hard to clear up."