A man, who is accused of setting five police officers and a firefighter alight using what was thought to be petrol, has been charged with six counts of attempted murder.

Police said Ako Faraji threw the flammable liquid at the group, which also included a sixth officer who avoided being torched, in Leicester in the early hours of Sunday before his victims were ‘set alight’.

The flames were quickly extinguished and thankfully no one was injured, Leicestershire Police have said.

The 27-year-old, who lives on the road where the incident took place, was charged with arson with intent to endanger life and one count of an offence under Section 24 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

He was also charged with one count of theft which police said related to a reported offence on the premises of a business in Leicester on Saturday, the BBC has reported.

Faraji appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court earlier today. He will remain in custody until he appears at Leicester Crown Court on 25 March.