A FIREFIGHTER has accused youngsters of “tying up valuable resources” after a spate of bin fires across Bolton.

Ian Read, watch manager at Bolton Central Fire Station, said his team and others around the borough have been “chasing” the incidents around the town since the Easter holidays started.

Incidents included fires in Great Lever in Roxalina Street and Green Lane on Wednesday night between 9pm and midnight.

There have also been bin fires in Farnworth and Breightmet.

A man was carried unconscious by firefighters from a blaze on the ground floor of a house in Andrew Lane, Sharples, late on Tuesday night and died on Thursday.

Mr Read warned: “We are really busy at the moment with incidents and they don’t realise that there could be a serious fire.

“People are going to be struggling and there are going to be serious consequences because we wouldn’t be able to get to them.

“The parents need to make sure they are asking what their children are up to. I know people are working and are very busy but they need to be keeping an eye on their kids.

“They should think about what may happen if they needed a firefighter in their darkest hour. We put our lives at risk for these people.”

Mr Read added: “If we were out on these bin fires during a major incident, such as one we attended in Andrew Lane, Sharples, this would have tied up resources.”

Crews had to rescue an unconscious man from the blaze on the ground floor of a house in Andrew Lane, late on Tuesday night. He died in hospital on Thursday.

According to Mr Read, the youngsters have been dragging wheelie bins from properties before setting them on fire.

He said there had been times where four fire engines from Bolton Central, Bolton North and Farnworth had been out dealing with the issue.

He said: “It’s just a joke. We can’t keep running around after kids who are setting bins on fire.

“It’s giving us a nightmare.

"We have got so much on our plate so we don’t have time to be dragged from pillar to post with kids starting bin fires.

“It’s a pain for the people who own the bins and it’s a financial loss to the council because they have got to get the bins replaced. The police could get involved and if anyone gets caught then they get a criminal record.”

Bolton Council has been contacted for a comment.

If anybody knows anyone involved, they should call police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.