A 10-YEAR-OLD girl who started a £150,000 store blaze was spared custody by a judge who told her mother to show her more love and attention.

Burnley Crown Court heard how women staff at Accrington's GlynWebb Home Improvement Store were terrified as the flames took hold on February 12.

One was screaming, another was struggling for breath as the store windows were blown out by the heat and the pair both suffered panic attacks after their ordeal.

The schoolgirl, now 11, cannot be named for legal reasons but lives in Burnley.

She admitted arson and was given a two year supervision order to include outpatient medical treatment. Her mother needed as much help as the girl who was "directly emulating her," the court was told.

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Gilbart, QC, told the child what she had done was serious.

He told the schoolgirl she had frightened people who were just doing their jobs.

The judge added: "I think you feel very sorry about that. A number of people want to help you.

"I am going to find a way of getting you help. You have got to do some work as well. You have to do things too."

Judge Gilbart then turned to the girl's mother in the public gallery and said: "You have got to help her.

"Make yourself more available to her and less available to others than has sometimes happened.

"She needs to be cherished as all children need to be cherished.

"You have got to play your part in making sure this is the last time your daughter ever gets into trouble."

The court was told that at about 6.30pm four employees, and maybe one customer, were in the Blackburn Road store.

A woman worker noticed smoke drifting across the premises. She phoned the fire brigade and the manager activated the fire alarm.

As the worker was standing on the pavement a large window blew outwards. She was terrified and wanted to run away but was guided to a fire meeting area for staff. All three female staff members on duty had been traumatised by the fire.

The girl, then 10, was interviewed by police on February 14 and agreed she had started the blaze with matches.

She said she shouldn't have done it and realised she had caused a lot of damage.

After the case, George Marcall, chief executive of GlynWebb home improvement stores, which has just re-opened after the blaze, said: "It's a very sad incident but the courts have dealt with the matter in due manner.

"The important thing is that GlynWebb has risen from the ashes and is fully up and running again with a completely new look and wider product offer."