RESIDENTS have been urged to take their wheelie bins in and store them securely following collections after two were set alight.

Fire crews were called out to separate incidents in Farnworth involving burning wheelie bins last night.

The first was in Harrowby Street at about 10pm followed by another in Crompton Street at 1.10am.

Paul Harrison, watch manager at Farnworth fire station, said: “Our advice to households is to be mindful of bringing their bins in after collections or after their bins have been emptied and where they are storing their wheelie bins.

“Unfortunately, at the moment, it seems to be the thing to do is to set them on fire.”