FIREFIGHTERS in the New Forest have been encouraging youngsters to take a responsible attitude to fire in a bid to cut arson attacks.

A pass out parade was held at Hardley Fire Station following a five-day educational course run by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Twelve students, aged 13 to 16, were presented with certificates by Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead.

"We taught them about the consequences of their actions and also encouraged them to take fire safety messages home and to their friends," said station manager Tom Jones who led the course.

"We've had youth workers here who cannot believe the change in them."

Mr Jones said the course, part of the Local Intervention Fire education (LIFE) project, aimed to reduce deliberate fire-setting across the county by ten per cent by 2010.

It comes as detectives in the Forest are renewing an appeal for witnesses two weeks after an arson attack on a Beaulieu tide mill.

The blaze at the 16th century landmark in Palace Lane sent a decade of restoration work up into smoke.

A serial arsonist is thought to be responsible for at least eight fires in the New Forest since November.

The latest LIFE course saw youngsters from Southampton and the New Forest take part in activities such as hose running, wearing breathing apparatus, climbing ladders, first aid and casualty handling.

It got the youths to work in a team to succeed, and taught them about the fire service. Some are considering it as a future career. Mr Jones said 62 per cent of students on previous five courses who had a police record had stayed out of trouble.