As soap fans were gripped by the dramatic fire in Yorkshire drama Emmerdale last week, local fire chiefs have urged people to take some simple steps to avoid falling victim to Arson.

Scenes in the soap showed rubbish piled outside being set alight and the fire spreading to nearby buildings, causing devastating consequences for residents.

West Yorkshire has five district Arson Task Forces, including one in Bradford, who spend much of their time educating householders and businesses about removing rubbish from outside properties and working closely with local councils to organise their removal.

Director of fire safety Craig McIntosh said: “Wheelie bins and piles of rubbish left outside are fuel for arsonists.

“When they are left close to buildings there is potential for the fire to spread, which can lead to devastating damage to property and even loss of life.”

The fire service urges people to: * never leave rubbish or wheelie bins close to a property * ensure bulky items are removed promptly or kept in a secure location, out of sight. Contact the local council for advice on its removal.

For details, contact the Bradford Arson Task Force on (01274) 385448.