Dramatic footage has been released of a man lighting petrol bombs just moments before a halal butchers was torched.

The video shows a man in a distinctive two-tone blue hooded top lighting two bottles at a bus shelter next to the scene of the attack in Walsall, West Midlands, on June 27.

The nearby butchers, in Wednesbury Road, Pleck, was left badly damaged in the attack, carried out off-camera just moments later, after an unknown assailant threw the fire-bombs in through the entrance.

West Midlands Police, which has released the footage in a bid to trace the culprit, said it was "undoubtedly a targeted attack" but did not appear to have been carried out because of the victim's ethnicity.

Detective Inspector Greg Evans said: "We've been speaking to local people and the feeling is that this is not a racially-motivated offence and they have not perceived any increased tension in recent days - that's sentiment echoed by the council's community cohesion group.

"We can't get a clear image of the offender's face from the CCTV footage - though he's understood to be a white man - but he is wearing a distinctive two-tone blue jacket.

"I'm convinced someone will recognise that jacket and suspect who may be behind this arson.

"This was a shocking attack on a store in broad daylight and one which could easily have resulted in serious injuries or fatalities.

"We need to know who this man is, so please call us or the independent charity Crimestoppers with information."

Anyone with information about the incident which happened at 5.25pm is asked to call police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.