THE owner of a Blackburn takeaway restaurant has appeared in court on a conspiracy charge, following an explosion which caused more than £400,000 of damage on early hours of Wednesday morning.

Zaheer Iqbal Ali, 23, of Lancaster Place, Blackburn, owner of the Heena takeaway in Bank Top, is charged with conspiracy to commit arson at the premises being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

The shop and a neighbouring property were destroyed in the blast and two other buildings will also have to be demolished because of structural damage.

Another man, Majid Hussain, is still in hospital following the explosion, where he is being treated for serious burns.

Ali was remanded in custody until he appears next at the Crown Court, the magistrates rejecting an application for bail by defence solicitor Daniel King.