An arsonist caused a £180,000 blaze at a garage after "showing off" to a group of girls with his lighter.

Andrew Shepherd, 20, set fire to a pile of dry grass. The fire quickly spread, causing petrol, tyres and oil to spark.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Shepherd had been drinking with a group of younger people when he started the fire, at Fastfit, in Langley Park, Durham, on May 2.

One customer lost a car worth £3,000 and nearby householders had to be evacuated for fear of an explosion.

Prosecutor Roger Moore told the court: "The fire was very intense. Fortunately no-one was injured."

Judge Tim Hewitt accepted Shepherd had not intended to start such a blaze and had been merely fooling about.

He said: "It should have been obvious there was a danger of fire being caused because the grass you lit must have been yards, if not feet, off a garage."

Shepherd, of Viola Crescent, Sacriston, County Durham, pleaded guilty to arson. He was ordered to pay £150 costs, given a two-year community rehabilitation order and ordered to serve 100 hours community punishment.

Defence barrister Julie Clemitson said: "He never foresaw, let alone intended, anyone suffering loss of property, let alone on the scale they did."