POLICE in Bolton are investigating a spate of more than 10 small fires which were deliberately started in Deane and Daubhill.

Firefighters were called out to the first of the blazes in the early hours of Sunday. A wooden outhouse had been set alight behind an empty house in Anglia Grove, Deane.

The fire did not spread to the house, but the outhouse was gutted.

Around 20 minutes later, another call was received about a rubbish fire just minutes from the first incident.

Firefighters were then called out over the next six hours to a series of small fires progressing up Deane Road and into the Daubhill area.

No-one was injured and minor damage was sustained in the attacks, which involved piles of rubbish, wheelie bins and a skip.

Sub Officer Fraser Jones, of Bolton Central Fire Station, said whoever had started the fires was "mindless".

He said: "It looks very much like the same person or group of people were involved in these fires.

"The first incident was worst, and could have got out of hand if we had not arrived when we did.

"We spent the night dealing with rubbish fires when potentially we could have had much more serious things to tend to."