FIREFIGHTERS from Bromsgrove had a busy weekend dealing with prison fires, arson attempts and malicious false alarms.

A fire engine attended a large bin fire next to Threshers off-licence in the High Street in the early hours of Saturday morning.

At 1.45pm on Saturday, firefighters were called to a fire in a secure laundry room at Brockhill women's prison, Tardebigge, which had been started using toilet tissue. Two breathing apparatus team members and one hose reel were used to help extinguish the blaze.

Later on Saturday three fire engines attended another blaze at the prison - this time in a cell. A prisoner officer was conveyed to hospital with smoke inhalation.

A hoax call to the station at 7.34pm on Saturday meant firefighters from Bromsgrove were called out to Woodbury Drive in Kidderminster. Fire crews have slammed the people behind the call.

"When our crew is engaged in attending a malicious false alarm we are tied up and cannot attend other incidents," said a spokesman for the fire service.

On Saturday at 11.45pm firefighters extinguished a rubbish fire on Claypit Lane, Catshill.

Three deliberately started fires on Barnsley Hall Drive, which leads to Bromsgrove Ambulance Station, had to be extinguished by firecrews on Sunday at around 4pm, just three days after another deliberately set fire in the same spot. The fire service spokesman said: "Deliberately set fires could potentially endanger lives even if they are small because the cover for the area is reduced. We are cracking down on people who deliberately cause fires."

l FIREFIGHTERS also attended a blaze at Brockhill women's prison at Tardebigge at 1.25pm last Wednesday. The fire had broken out in a cell and was extinguished before the crews arrived.