A TEENAGER, with ambitions to become a firefighter, destroyed a £1m row of shops in an arson attack because he did not like the "posh" people who lived in the neighbourhood.

Aaron Ralston told police he went to The Ings estate, in Redcar, east Cleveland, with a friend to "cause mischief" after he had drunk a dozen cans of lager, and vodka and cider.

The 19-year-old and his friend had a competition to see who could steal the most badges from cars before he went to the shopping parade and started the devastating blaze in a rubbish cage.

Teesside Crown Court was told yesterday that the fire quickly took hold and spread to the shops, causing several explosions and trapping a teenager in a flat above the row of shops.

Ralston, who was at college studying on a pre-uniformed services course at the time of the incident on November 1, had also been a member of the Young Firefighters' Association and had taken part in voluntary fundraising work at his local fire station.

Ralston, of Lodge Road, Eston, near Middlesbrough, admitted arson and was locked up for four years by the Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox.

The judge told him: "Of course you didn't realise the extent of the devastation, but it was a deliberate setting on fire because you didn't like the people who lived in that locality.

"You must be punished but there is another element and that is for all who might be tempted to follow in your footsteps, doing the sort of mischief that you were doing as you put it, that night, to know that when it gets to this point then the punishment is a severe one."

The court heard that uncontrollable flames had engulfed the parade, and fireworks from Bells stores were going off when the emergency services arrived on the scene at Embleton Court.

Sarah Kirkham twice tried unsuccessfully to flee from her upstairs flat, but was too afraid as the shop roofs began to collapse around her.

PC David Causier tried to talk the screaming 19-year-old down to safety, but she was too terrified to move, and she was eventually rescued by the fire brigade

The precinct - owned by businessman Saad Mahmoud and insured for £1.2m - consisted of a fish and chip shop, hair salon, private nursery, a Bells store and a pizza shop.

Richard Bennett, mitigating, said: "It sounds trite, but the defendant has expressed his dismay for his actions."

He added: "It was a stupid, drunken act which caused devastating consequences in terms of property.

"Fortunately, the young lady was rescued from the premises and it is only because of the brave actions of the firefighters that he is not facing a far more serious charge."