Two men went on a £4,000 fire raising spree for no apparent reason, a court was told.

Martin John Pickup, 20, had torched a car which then then set fire to another vehicle next to it. Christopher Paul Forkin, 19, set a shed alight in the early hours escapade, Burnley magistrates heard.

Pickup, of Shepherds Green, Water, Rossendale, and Forkin, then of North Street, Lumb, but now of Colne Road, Burnley, each admitted arson between April 18 and 19.

They were given 120 days in jail, suspended for 12 months, with 80 hours unpaid work and a three month curfew, seven days a week, between 8pm and 5am.

Sentencing, the bench told the duo their acts had been serious and they were very fortunate not to be going to prison.

The chairman warned: "If you break any of the requirements of the order you will be brought back to court and can expect to serve the prison sentence we have imposed today."

Pickup was ordered to pay £1,945 compensation within 14 days and his co-defendant must hand over £1,785.

Carl Gaffney, prosecuting, told the court the two defendants embarked upon an act of folly which appeared to have no rhyme or reason to it. There was no motive such as revenge or bad feelings which were usually behind arson offences and the reasons for their conduct could only be speculated upon.

The prosecutor said Forkin accepted he set fire to a wooden shed and its contents, causing damage to the tune of £1,785.

Pickup set a Vauxhall Cavalier alight and the fire then spread to a Renault Megan.

He caused £1, 945 worth of damage.

Mr Gaffney added the allegations had caused a fair amount distress to the victims.