PEOPLE setting light to paper banks in the Tavistock area are wasting valuable time and resources and costing the tax payer money, the local fire commander said this week.

Tavistock Fire Station officer Tony Clark said the latest fire at the paper bank in Pixon Lane Car Park was discovered at 7.15am yesterday (Wednesday.)

The paper bank was now heading for a landfill site because it could no longer be used and all the paper, which was to be recycled for a fee, was destroyed.

Mr Clark said not only did the fire brigade have to deal with the aftermath but the borough council's contractors also had to be called out.

'People have taken the time and trouble to bring their paper for recycling and it provides an income for the council as well as helping the environment,' he said.

'An incident like this is a great waste of time and resources and it also has implications for the tax payers.'

The brigade is asking for help from anyone who may know who is starting these fires and is urging them to call the police on 08705 777444.

A fire crew from Tavistock was also called out to a blaze at a children's tree house off Pixon Lane on Sunday.

Officers are concerned about children playing with fire and getting hurt and said the fire could easily have spread to trees as the area was quite dense with vegetation.