TWO men who carried out petrol bomb attacks on homes in Blackburn have been jailed for a total of 13 years.

Andrew Harrison and his friend Dwayne Evans donned combat gear and weapons to carry out the attacks.

Preston Crown Court heard how Molatov cocktails were thrown at two homes in Scotland Bank Terrace because of a perceived grievance - and one of the homes targeted was the wrong one.

Harrison, 29, of Cockridge Close, and 25-years-old Evans of Waterloo Close, both Blackburn, each admitted one charge of arson with intent to endanger life.

Harrison also admitted two offences of having offensive weapons, a machete and a butterfly knife, while Evans admitted having a baseball bat as an offensive weapon.

The court heard that the petrol bombs thrown at the homes in July last year left scorch marks to the exterior of the properties.

One of the bombs landed close to the bedroom window of a 15-year-old boy, who was in the house with his mother.

Their home had been targeted incorrectly.

The court heard that each of the defendants had thrown a petrol bomb but luckily neither of them had fully exploded.

Residents in the street said they had noticed men in balaclava and carrying weapons and called the police.

Defence lawyers said there had been a drunken decision to take the law into their own hands.

Harrison had had a dispute with some people in the street the court heard, and had reported receiving threats.

But the police were not able to do anything about his complaints.

Judge Stuart Baker said: “If either or both houses had caught fire the effect could have been catastrophic.”

He said that however vexed and frustrated they both were about what others had done a civilised community could not tolerate that sort of retaliatory conduct.

Evans and Harrison were each sentenced to six years six months imprisonment after pleading guilty to arson with intent at Preston Crown Court. Evans was also given a five year extended licence.

They were also both given a 12 month sentence to run concurrently for possessing an offensive weapon.

Speaking after the case, DC Mark Cruise said: “The actions of Evans and Harrison put people’s lives in danger and whilst no one was seriously injured, the consequences could have been tragic.  “The immediate response of the police and fire brigade ensured they were both quickly arrested a short distance away and a joint investigation by the police and Lancashire Fire and Rescue service led to the successful prosecution.”