A PUB was targeted by petrol bombers as the landlord and his daughter slept upstairs.

The attack, on the Dusty Miller pub in Crostons Road, Bury, happened at 3.30am on Monday.

A window was smashed and a bottle filled with petrol and a blazing rag thrown towards it. It is the fourth petrol bomb attack to be reported in the town since April.

Now police are connecting the incidents.

Det Insp Sarah Jackson, from Bury CID, said: “We are investigating a number of linked arson attacks whereby various addresses have been specifically targeted.

“Although no one has been injured lives have clearly been put at risk.

“Anyone prepared to deliberately start a fire represents a very real danger to innocent members of the public so I would urge anyone with information about the attacks to come forward.”

In the most recent attack, the petrol bomb failed to ignite and the 50-year-old landlord and his daughter escaped injury, but were left in shock.

The attack was similar to an incident on April 30 when a petrol bomb destroyed The Derby Arms and almost killed landlord John Holroyd and his wife Barbara, both aged 58, who were asleep in the flat above.

Two days earlier, on April 28 at 2.30am, a Rolls Royce Phantom valued at £100,000, was set alight in Greenhill Road, Bury.

And on June 12 at 1.30am, a petrol bomb was thrown through the front-room window of a house in Connaught Street, Bury.

Neither the Dusty Miller landlord or his daughter wanted to comment about their ordeal.

My Holroyd said: “It brings back what happened to my pub. We are all frightened to death round here. I hope the people responsible know now that my pub has no association with the family being targeted at all.”

Witnesses or people with information should call Bury CID on (0161) 856 4647 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.