DETECTIVES are continuing to investigate a racist arson attack at a Cliviger Indian restaurant.

Officers from Burnley's Hate Crime Unit are probing several lines of inquiry following the blaze which was started in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Arsonists broke into the Village Spice Indian Restaurant in Burnley Road before covering the walls with racist comments and images as well as scribbling the word 'BNP' on the inside walls.

Firefighters tackled the blaze, which saw smoke bellowing from windows at the restaurant for around half an hour after it was believed to have been started at around 4am.

Detective Sergeant Dave Groombridge, of Burnley's Hate Crime Unit, which was set up two years ago to tackle racists crimes, said: "We are continuing to investigate this incident and have one or two lines of inquiry which we are following up."

Police said tenant Miah Tipu, who has run the restaurant since May last year, had suffered racial abuse in the past, mostly over the phone.

Asian community leaders and the leader of the BNP in Burnley, Councillor Len Starr, have condemned the attack.