THE number of fires started deliberately in Inverclyde is falling.

The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service says latest statistics for the district show a 'significant reduction of 48 per cent in deliberate fire setting' year-on-year.

But senior officials added that several of the incidents that did take place were serious, with a number involving blazes at residential addresses.

A report released by SFRS said: "It is concerning that the 12 primary incidents involved six vehicles and six domestic dwellings, with the remaining secondary incidents mostly involving refuse containers and grassland."