FOUR youths involved in a petrol bombing campaign amid the disturbances in Lancashire last summer have been jailed for a total of seven and a half years.

Burnley Crown Court heard Nabil Saddique, 17, Arfan Hussain, 19, Mohammed Amin, 17, and Rajib Ali, 21, and others who were never caught, were behind the fire damage at four separate locations in Accrington.

The targets included a primary school.

The four had plotted to build the bombs - made from milk bottles stuffed with rags and using sugar to increase their potency - knowing of the troubles in Oldham and nearby Burnley.

Sentencing the defendants, Judge Raymond Bennett said he was satisfied all of them knew they were not just playing a prank and that what they did was very wrong.

Ali, of Empress Street, Accrington, who had denied conspiracy to commit arson on June 28 last year and was convicted after a trial, was sent to prison for three years.

Saddique and Amin, both of Steiner Street and Hussain, of Lister Street, were all sentenced to 18 months, after admitting the offence.

Amin, Ali and Hussain had no previous convictions.

Tim Mathison, prosecuting, said all of the targets were attacked using the same method.

A window was broken at each of the premises with either a stone or brick, while some defendants kept watch.

The bombs were carried in plastic bags and ,when spotted, the gang tried to hide their faces.

The first bombing was in Gloucester Avenue at 5.40pm when a Ford Fiesta car was set alight.

The next target was Central Car Sales, Hyndburn Road, which was hit between 7.30pm and 8.05pm.

One vehicle was torched and there was damage to both vehicles on either side.

Six or seven youths were seen by witnesses, all pulled up their tee-shirts to hide their identities and another group member hurled a big stone.

Sacred Heart RC Primary School, Bradshaw Lane, was next on the list and the bombers struck between 10pm and 10.15pm.

A classroom window was smashed and a number of bombs slung into the premises.

Mr Mathison said at 10.44pm the same evening, a large window was damaged by fire at Glynn Webb Stores, Blackburn Road .

The CCTV camera captured a bomb being thrown by a man. Two devices were found in an Asda bag at the back of the store.