Arson attacks on cars which are stolen and then dumped are costing the fire service in south Wales �10m per year.

Fire chiefs say the attacks are putting lives of children as young as eight at risk, and warn they are also taking firemen away from other life-threatening calls.

I suppose it would have been a thrill then, until you actually realise the consequences of what could happen A former car thief

Across south Wales, more than 2,500 cars were stolen and then burnt-out last year.

It costs the fire service around �4,000 to deal with each burning car.

A campaign is to be launched on Monday to drive home the costs and the dangers.

Officials from the Home office will watch young drama students from Merthyr Tydfil college perform a specially-written play highlighting the problem.

On the streets of the town young men freely admitted to stealing and burning cars.

One youth explained he used to take cars as a way of getting home.

Video

He said: "I suppose it would have been a thrill then, until you actually realise the consequences of what could happen if you actually had a crash."

In Cardiff, one tearaway 11-year-old was thought to be responsible for hundreds of car thefts.

Three weeks after his 12th birthday, the youth, dubbed a one-boy crime wave was sent to a secure unit after he was charged with burglary at an industrial site.

A video of the anti-car theft campaign production will be sent to every secondary school in Wales.

Later in the year, it is hoped the production will be taken to New York to help firefighters there deal with a similar problem.