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A suspected petrol bomb attack on an asylum seeker centre is being treated as a race-hate crime.

A flaming object was flung at a front window of multi-occupancy flats in Aintree , in the early hours of Sunday morning, shattering the glass.

Police attended the address on Church Avenue just before 2am and found fire damage to the front of the property, which used to operate as the Bounty House hotel, close to Aintree Racecourse.

Now it has emerged detectives suspect the arson is racially motivated.

Locals said a variety of asylum seekers, from different countries, lived at the 15-bed centre.

Serco workers, who now operate the building, said the occupants spoke very little English.

Watch: Footage of arson attack

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Chief Inspector Matt Boyle said: “The latest incident is being investigated by specialist detectives from the force’s SIGMA team, who are dedicated to investigating incidents of hate crime.

“No-one should be targeted in this way, whether that be for their race, beliefs or disability.”

An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson over the weekend and is being quizzed by police on suspicion of committing arson with intent to endanger life.

His relatives, who said he lived in a flat close to the asylum seeker refuge, insist he had done nothing wrong.

And his brother-in-law contacted the ECHO to say he was sleeping when the fire broke out.

His home was raided on Sunday afternoon when Matrix officers, the police unit who investigate serious gun, drugs and gang crime, entered the property.

They were armed with shields, a fire extinguisher and a dog snare after reports that the suspect owned a large dog at the address.

The Bounty House hotel made headlines in 2009 when its devout Christian owners were accused of insulting a Muslim guest.

Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang were arrested after a Muslim woman complained to police that she had been offended by their comments on religion.

But the hoteliers were cleared of public order offences at Liverpool magistrates’ court.

Police have urged anyone with information about the arson to ring them on 0151 777 4065 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.