A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery and arson with intent to endanger life, following an incident at a Lancashire petrol station.

It began when a man demanded money and staff at the Shell garage in Market Street, Bacup, locked him in the shop in a bid to stop him escaping.

Police said the staff had hoped to detain him until they arrived, but they were forced to open the door when he tried to smash his way through.

Police were alerted to the incident at around 8pm on Saturday, but when they arrived, the man had left.

However, officers were able to identify the man from CCTV footage and they went to an address in Olive Street, about a mile away.

When they arrived they found clothes, which had been left on a cooker hob, had caught fire, and the fire brigade were called to put out the fire.

A 44-year-old man from Bacup was later arrested.

Topics