Two teenage boys were behind bars yesterday for their part in a petrol bomb attack on a man's home.

The pair, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were only 14 years old when they committed the offence.

The boys, now 15, appeared in court yesterday charged with the attempted arson attack on John Armstrong's home on the Cowgate estate, Newcastle.

Mr Armstrong had already had trouble with local youths and had replaced his windows with strong plastic to stop missiles being thrown through.

But the two boys, along with another youth, went to the house with a vodka bottle filled with petrol from a scramble bike and a flaming T-shirt.

The court heard that the third boy had thrown the petrol bomb at the house, causing scorching to the bricks, but no injuries.

Both of the boys pleaded guilty to attempted arson and a separate offence of burglary. Each was sentenced to a 12-month detention and training order