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| Blackpool's Donna's Dream House fire: Two youths detained | Blackpool's Donna's Dream House fire: Two youths detained |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Two 19-year-olds who admitted setting fire to a holiday home for terminally ill children have been detained at a young offenders' institution. | Two 19-year-olds who admitted setting fire to a holiday home for terminally ill children have been detained at a young offenders' institution. |
| Police said Cairn Major, of Tyldesley Avenue, Blackpool, set fire to Donna's Dream House in Blackpool to cover up burgling it on 21 December 2011. | |
| He was sentenced to five-and-a-half years detention at Preston Crown Court for arson and two counts of burglary. | |
| Jason Baxendale, of Blackpool, was given 32 months detention for arson. | Jason Baxendale, of Blackpool, was given 32 months detention for arson. |
| 'Precious holidays' | 'Precious holidays' |
| Major will also be placed on licence for three-and-a-half years after he is released. | |
| Baxendale, of Granville Avenue, pleaded not guilty to two counts of burglary and the CPS offered no evidence in court. | Baxendale, of Granville Avenue, pleaded not guilty to two counts of burglary and the CPS offered no evidence in court. |
| Lancashire Police said Baxendale had acted as "lookout" during the robbery and did not enter the property. | Lancashire Police said Baxendale had acted as "lookout" during the robbery and did not enter the property. |
| Items stolen in the burglary included several cameras, projectors, CCTV monitors, laptops and phones. | Items stolen in the burglary included several cameras, projectors, CCTV monitors, laptops and phones. |
| The blaze, estimated to have caused more than £80,000 damage, destroyed the office, hot tubs and sauna at the site and forced the charity home to close for almost three months. | The blaze, estimated to have caused more than £80,000 damage, destroyed the office, hot tubs and sauna at the site and forced the charity home to close for almost three months. |
| Det Con Phil Palmer said he hoped the sentences made the offenders realise the impact of their actions. | Det Con Phil Palmer said he hoped the sentences made the offenders realise the impact of their actions. |
| "The break-in and subsequent fire caused the charity a serious setback and prevented very ill children and their families from enjoying a holiday together," he said. | "The break-in and subsequent fire caused the charity a serious setback and prevented very ill children and their families from enjoying a holiday together," he said. |
| "These holidays are precious to these families and are something that cannot be replaced." | "These holidays are precious to these families and are something that cannot be replaced." |
| He added: "Thankfully Donna's Dream House has been able to reopen and people are once again able to benefit from the help they provide in a time of need." | He added: "Thankfully Donna's Dream House has been able to reopen and people are once again able to benefit from the help they provide in a time of need." |
| Len and Barbara Curtis set up the Donna's Dream House charity in 1999 in memory of their daughter Donna who died of cancer in 1996 at the age of 20. | Len and Barbara Curtis set up the Donna's Dream House charity in 1999 in memory of their daughter Donna who died of cancer in 1996 at the age of 20. |
| The log cabins in the Donna's Dream House complex were funded by scrap dealer Gary Eastwood, who worked with the charity while he was taking part in Channel 4's Secret Millionaire. | The log cabins in the Donna's Dream House complex were funded by scrap dealer Gary Eastwood, who worked with the charity while he was taking part in Channel 4's Secret Millionaire. |