‘AMATEURISH’ arsonists who failed to successfully torch a Blackburn takeaway came back two days later to douse it with petrol again.

But Martin Jackson and Christopher Dickinson were caught out after a jumper and plastic bottle, dumped nearby, were found with their respective DNA samples, Preston Crown Court heard.

Prosecutors said the firebugs at Ice Blast, in Whalley New Road, had been hired as part of an ongoing feud between rival shop owners from the Malik and Mahmood families.

And takeaway owner Shazab Malik has claimed the damage, and lost trade, cost him around £28,000, the court heard.

Jailing Jackson and Dickinson for 31 months each though, Judge Simon Newell said he would require better cost estimates than the hand-written invoices handed to him, before he could sanction such a compensation payout.

Jackson, 43, and Dickinson, 35, both of Heaton Street, Blackburn, each admitted to offences of arson and attempted arson, reckless as to whether life was endangered. Dickinson also pleaded guilty to assaulting Michael Vince in March 2019.

Nicola Carroll, prosecuting, said CCTV footage had captured Jackson and Dickinson leaving the Salvation Army hostel in the early hours of March 4, carrying a plastic bag filled with plastic bottles containing petrol.

Further clips later showed them approaching Ice Blast and spraying the shutters, and signage, with the petrol, before leaving briefly, then returning to ignite the liquid. Security still showed a fire briefly raging but the fire brigade were quickly alerted and tackled the blaze.

Jackson and Dickinson returned to the shop two nights later but Zain Malik, concerned by a smell of gas at the premises, had been asked by his father to inspect the takeaway.

Miss Carroll said while inside, Mr Malik heard a loud bang and saw the defendants outside. One of them threw a bottle at an upstairs window before they both fled.

Peter Hargan, defending, said: “My client says Mr Malik paid them to set fire to the premises as some sort of insurance job.”

He told the court the defendants had been given £200 and a bag of chips to carry out the attack.

Mark Stuart, defending Dickinson, said the shop had only suffered limited damage. His client had been asked along by Jackson for the 'amateurish' attempt at setting a fire.

Passing sentence, Judge Newell said: “Like all arsons, this could have had very serious consequences.”