Youth Justice: Cheshire service teaches young offenders about dangers of fire

The 10-week programme is adapted from a standard cadet scheme for firefighters and also involves trips outside the prison.

Joseph Allen, community cohesion and youth engagement manager at Cheshire Fire Service, said: "We teach the young people the same skills we teach professional firefighters. The prison has a regime for rehabilitation. We bring an extra dimension to it, showing them the dangers of nicking cars, or starting fires."

The young people also visit factories to see the potential danger that fire can cause.

Allen hopes the scheme may be able to continue once the offenders are released. "When they leave, an agency is supposed to pick them up, but sometimes that link breaks down and that young person who was supposed to get immediate support may not," he said. "Part of what we are hoping to do is engage with the appropriate body when they are released and get them more involved."