FIREFIGHTERS were called to a spate of wheelie bin fires started by youths on Saturday night.

Crews from Farnworth attended three separate fires involving the bins in Little Lever, from 9pm to 10.30pm.

They were all thought to have been taken in the Mytham Road area.

In each case young people no older than 13 had pinched the bins and taken them to land nearby to set fire to.

Crew manager Mark Hoare said: "We called every half-an-hour between 9pm and 10.30pm.

"One of the wheelie bins was taken to a park of Mytham Road, in full view of the main road, and set alight so they can breathe in the fumes.

"The children who are in their early teens, they told us they had just found the bin."

He added: "We will be running a campaign in the area for people to secure their bins.

"We are asking people to take the bins out in the morning and then securely store them away."

Earlier this year police said that vandals were setting fire to wheelie bins in Bolton so they can inhale toxic fumes.

Greater Manchester Police posted on Facebook: "Intelligence from Greater Manchester fire and rescue suggests that wheelie bins are being set on fire and fumes from the bins are inhaled.

"This is extremely dangerous as the fumes from the plastic are highly toxic."