A man has been jailed indefinitely for trying to set fire to a petrol station.

Only the actions of a passing taxi driver prevented a potentially massive explosion, a court heard.

The cabbie saw Joseph Bosomworth piling paper and rubbish up around petrol pumps at the Texaco Garage in Church Road, Portslade.

Bosomworth, 26, of nearby St Richards Road, then set fire to the debris and watched as the flames grew.

Jeffrey Lamb, prosecuting, said the taxi driver alerted his controller and police were called to the scene at 1.40am on April 14.

Mr Lamb said: "The taxi driver was very concerned at what he had seen as there was a pub and homes with people in them close by."

Bosomworth was arrested and later admitted drinking eight lagers, eight vodka chasers and smoking four cannabis joints.

He told police he could remember nothing about what he had done.

Bosomworth pleaded guilty to arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, when he appeared at Hove Crown Court for sentence yesterday. Jennifer Grey, defending, said Bosomworth had expressed genuine horror and remorse and was completely baffled by what he had done.

She said: "He realises that he has put people at risk and understands the gravity of the crime he has committed.

"He is realistic about what is going to happen to him today and wants to continue to address his alcohol problem in prison."

Judge Charles Kemp said he was satisfied that Bosomworth remained a risk to the public as long as his drinking remains a problem.

He jailed Bosomworth indefinitely with a recommendation that he serves a minimum of two years and one month before he is considered for parole.

Judge Kemp said: "This was a petrol station within a residential district.

"The court can only assume that your intention, albeit drunken, was to cause a massive explosion.

"That is what would have happened had any of the petrol or its vapours been ignited by your fire.

"The resultant loss of life and mayhem can barely be imagined in a residential district in which people would have been in their houses, if not in bed."