THE police and fire service are joining forces to tackle arson on a Wrexham estate.

At a meeting of Caia Park Community Council, PCSO Jonathan Davies told members there had been eight incidents of arson in the previous 10 days, mainly grass fires started around the Queensway ward suspected to have been caused by youths.

He said intervention work was taking place with the fire service and said parents need to be alert about what their children are getting involved in, "if the children are coming home smelling of smoke, saying they've burned something".

"In the background we have been doing work with the fire service and are going to be doing intervention work the youths who might be getting involved in this type of activity, and educate them it is not a good idea", he added.

PCSO Davies also reported that officers are keeping an eye on the back of the old Nant Silyn care home in Smithfield due to reports of drugs needles being found there.

He said: "We are going there every shift, going there on the off chance people will come, but I would advise residents not to go down there themselves."

Smithfield Councillor Adrienne Jeorrett said residents were particularly concerned about it, but that work to build housing there is expected to start shortly.

Another headache for the police and council has been vandalism at play areas in Whitegate.

Twice in the last year the community council has had to fork out £1,500 each time to replace damaged swings - which it is believed to have been caused by owners training their dogs to bite the seats.

Chair of the community council, Cllr Malcolm King said: "We can't carry on spending that sort of money on a regular basis. Why would people do that?"

Other issues officers have been tackling in the last few weeks include anti-social behaviour in the Moorland Avenue and Archers Way areas of Wynnstay, and a temporary dispersal order has been in place there.

Anti-social behaviour has also been taking place around the Kinglsey Circle shops and pharmacy in Cartrefle but that has quietened down since the end of half-term.

The officers were congratulated by members for undertaking drug warrants in the last few weeks.

PCSO Davies said: "In Whitegate we had a good warrant, thanks to lots of intelligence and arrests were made.

"Another well-known person in the Pentre Gwyn and Tanycoed area has been arrested for drug offences."