A FATHER who threatened to set fire to himself and two children in a van containing petrol bombs was jailed for three years yesterday.

Teesside Crown Court was told how Mark McDonald, 33, doused himself in petrol and locked him and the children inside the white Ford Transit outside his mother's home, in Middlesbrough.

Armed police considered an option to shoot to kill, as McDonald, who had two containers filled with petrol, ranted and constantly flicked a lighter on and off, said Chris Baker, prosecuting.

He told the court: "The two children were clearly distressed. He was screaming at those at the scene telling them that he had already covered himself in petrol and that he had a cigarette lighter in his left hand.

"Attempts were made to calm him down, but he became more and more enraged. He was asked on numerous occasions to let the children go, but he poured more petrol over himself."

Inspector Geoff Elms, of the Cleveland force, decided that if necessary he would have used lethal force to save the children.

McDonald, who was high on amphetamine sulphate, screamed at Insp Elms: "Do you want a barbecue? I'll do it and kill us all now."

As the police chief pleaded with him, he lit the lighter three more times.

At that point one child burst open the passenger door and ran off.

McDonald put the other child on his lap and held a petrol can over her with his finger on the lighter shouting "I'll do it".

McDonald's brother Gareth, 30, grabbed his hand holding the can and the youngster was freed. McDonald was arrested after a violent struggle. He had a quantity of amphetamine in his sock.

In mitigation, a psychiatrist said that McDonald now posed no threat.

Judge David Bryant told McDonald: "You are a man with a record which includes a significant element of violence over the years, and I regard you as a person who should be taken to be a potential danger in the future."

McDonald, of Birkhall Road, Middlesbrough, was jailed for three years after he pleaded guilty to two charges of making threats to kill on October 7 and possession of a Class B drug.

Insp Elms said later: "In my 28 years in the force I have never been so scared. I genuinely believe that he intended to light the petrol."