CARS were gutted and an explosion ripped through an office block in an arson attack at a Gisburn stables on Friday.

The fire was started just yards from more than a dozen horses at Panama Sport Horses.

The windows at owner Carol Richardson’s home, which is part of the complex on the Gisburne Park Estate, were also cracked by the heat.

It also came within feet of staff accommodation where two teenage work experience girls and a guest were staying.

Tests were carried out on a substance poured on a door at the front of the house to see if it was an accelerant.

The fire, which started at 1.15am on Friday, has led to a joint investigation between police and fire services.

Firefighters from Barnoldswick, Nelson, and Clitheroe spent almost three hours tackling the blaze.