DETECTIVES from Burnley's Hate Crime Unit have been drafted in to investigate a racist arson attack at a Cliviger Indian restaurant.

Arsonists broke into the Old 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 yesterday.

The owner of the building, John Kaye, 55, who lives near the restaurant, said he woke up at and saw smoke which he thought was coming from a farm across the road.

He added: "I just went back to bed because it was just a light smoke which I thought was coming from across the road.

"I was alerted to the fire at about 9.30am when a man walking his dogs spotted the blaze and came to the house asking me to call the fire brigade.

"By this time the fire had caught a hold. I just wish I'd realised it was the restaurant on fire when I woke in the first place and could have prevented all the damage."

Sub Officer Neil Mark said: "Two crews attended. The sniffer dog identified there was a strong possibility of accelerants being used after we found there were a number of areas where fires had been started.

"It became obvious we were dealing with something potentiality very unusual, as there was racist graffiti written on the walls. A lot of evidence was found and bagged up by scenes of crimes officers."

Tenant Miah Tipu, who has run the restaurant since May last year, said he was too shocked to speak.

Detective Constable Charlie Haynes, of Burnley's Hate Crime Unit, which was set up two years ago to tackle racists crimes, said: "The tenants had suffered racial abuse in the past, mainly over the phone. We've spoken to the tenant and owner. We are taking the matter extremely seriously and are conducting an investigation.

"The offenders broke in through the front door which is on the main road, so we hope somebody driving past may have noticed something. We urge anybody who saw anything suspicious to contact us."

Len Starr, a spokesman for the BNP condemned the attack as "utterly appalling". He added: "We clearly disassociate ourselves from anything like this. We utterly condemn this and anybody who tries to use the BNPs name in this way. It is not part of our agenda and urge people to stop it now before somebody is seriously hurt.

"I think these people are sick and I can't imagine why they do it and what they are trying to achieve. It makes no sense and it gains nothing for anybody.

"It maybe an attempt to smear the BNP rather than a mark of affiliation."

Asian community leaders were shocked by the attack. Rafique Malik, Daneshouse and Stoneyholme ward councillor, said: "This is awful. I said this sort of thing would start to happen when the BNP moved into town a few years ago. I urge people to show the BNP the red card at the next elections because these kinds of racist attacks and abuse has increased since they came into power."

Call Burnley CID on 01282 472144 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.