Two men from Hendon have been jailed after admitting setting fire to a garage in Finchley.

Piotr Sitko, 40, and Mirek Walus, 37, both of Holders Hill Crescent, both pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court on Tuesday, August 25 to one count of arson, and were sentenced to nine months' imprisonment.

They were also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £100 each.

On Wednesday, December 11, 2014 shortly after 4pm, police were called to Embassy Lodge, in Regents Park Road, Finchley to reports of a garage fire.

The caretaker had been watching CCTV of the grounds when he noticed smoke coming out of one of the garages.

Upon investigation, he saw Sitko and Walus standing outside the garage, looking in.

The pair then walked to Regents Park Road, sat on a bench, and left before officers arrived.

They were arrested later that day while waiting for a bus on Gravel Hill, Finchley.

Subsequent viewing of CCTV footage showed Sitko and Walus coming out of the burning garage.

The pair broke in and lit the fire in an effort to keep warm, police believe, although it was never confirmed as they declined to comment during interviews.

The fire quickly took hold and became uncontrollable.

The blaze had been put out by London Fire Brigade by the time police arrived at the scene.

Investigating Officer Detective Constable Davina Cullen from Barnet CID, said: "I would like to remind people to ensure that garages and sheds are made as secure as possible so incidents like this cannot happen. While houses tend to be secured effectively, out-buildings are often not, leaving them vulnerable to break-ins."