A family with a young child were forced to flee their home after a fuel canister attached to a flaming rag was thrown through their window.

Detectives described the incident as an ‘extremely sinister crime’ and said it had been very frightening for the family involved.

They have launched an investigation.

Two adults and a 21-month-old child were sleeping upstairs at a property on Lodge Street in Accrington when unknown offenders smashed a rear window and threw inside a fuel cannister attached to a lit rag.

Police said the family woke up and managed to extinguish the flame before the fuel ignited.

DS Ben Hodgkinson, of Blackburn CID, said: “This was an extremely sinister crime and very frightening for the family involved, particularly as they have a young child.

“They were extremely lucky to reach the canister before it set on fire and caused potentially serious damage.

“We are still trying to determine why this family have been targeted in this way and whether it is linked to other similar incidents that occurred earlier this year in the same area.

“We are increasing patrols in the vicinity and if you have any concerns, please do raise them with your local neighbourhood policing team.

“I am determined to find who was responsible and so if you have any information about this or previous incidents, please get in contact with us as soon as possible before this person/ people potentially try this again.”

It follows a number of incidents in Accrington.

In the first incident a small fire was set underneath a vehicle on Avenue Parade at around 7.20am on December 21 last year.

The second incident happened at around 6.35am on December 28 when accelerate was poured through the letterbox of an address on Manor Street and set on fire.

The third incident happened at around 8.25am on Sunday, January 4 when accelerate was again poured through a house letterbox on Lodge Street before being set alight.

And a flammable liquid was poured into a vacant property in Marsden Street and set alight on Sunday, January 11 at around 9.30am.

Anyone with information call DS Hodgkinson on 01254 353562 or 101 quoting incident reference 415 of August 30.