FIREBUGS are targetting wheelie bins to use them in burglaries and to help take away stolen goods and drugs.

They are being used by burglars as ladders to gain access to low level windows and to scale garden walls.

The bins are also being placed next to back doors and set on fire to gain access to houses.

It has led to a major campaign being launched across Bolton to encourage people to help cut bin crime by only putting wheelie bins out on the day they are due for collection.

The council also wants householders to put them back and secure them when emptied and not overfill or leave loose rubbish in them.

Starting this month leaflets will be put on all domestic wheelie bins in Bolton to encourage people to look after them

Cllr Noel Spencer, chairman of Bolton at Home, said: "We want everybody to play a part in the prevention of crime and fire damage in their community.

"Wheelie bins have become an easy target and looking after them will greatly help the fire service and police, and could even save lives."

Each year in Bolton there are 1,600 fires involving domestic and commercial bins and loose rubbish.

For Bolton's Fire Service this has meant an increase of 35 per cent in call outs.

Wheelie bins are frequently set on fire by vandals and wheelie bin theft is another big problem.

Bolton Council has to pay £12.50 for each bin that has to be replaced.

To combat abuse of domestic bins Bolton at Home, the organisation running Bolton's council houses, has teamed up with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Greater Manchester Police, Bolton Community Homes and the council's commercial services department to form a campaign.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire Service said: "Each year we see a number of incidents where fires deliberately started in the rubbish bins spread to people's property.

"In order to reduce the chance of someone setting fire to your bin keep it out of sight of passersby, if possible, and on collection day get it out on that morning as opposed to the night before."

A police spokesman said: "We would also urge people to look after their bins and secure them."