CLUBBERS had to be evacuated after arsonists started a fire behind a newly-launched Weymouth nightclub.

Police are investigating a malicious fire which flared up behind the Boombox venue in New Street in the early hours.

Firefighters said a quantity or rubbish had been set alight and the blaze had spread to the windows of the club, leading to smoke pouring inside the premises.

Those inside were evacuated and the club was closed. It is understood it will open as normal on Thursday evening.

The seafront venue, previously known as Dusk, relaunched as a new music club earlier this month after a refurbishment.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service received a call at 2.42am on Tuesday reporting a rubbish fire at the back of number 51 the Esplanade - Boombox nightclub, and a crew of Weymouth firefighters were alerted.

When the crew arrived they found that an amount of rubbish and waste products had been set alight next to a window.

A brigade spokesman said the blaze was near to the rear fire door and had made contact with the building causing damage to a rear window, and the smoke had made its way inside the building.

"It is believed this fire was started deliberately so the police were informed," the spokesman said.

Crime scene investigators scoured the area for clues this morning.

The owners did not want to comment on the incident.

However a message left on the club's Facebook page said: "We're sorry to everyone that was having a good time in a busy Boombox last night when idiots thought it would be funny to set some stuff on fire outside the back.

"We are helping the police who are treating the incident as criminal, and will be back open as normal on Thursday."

Town centre councillor Francis Drake said he couldn't believe that there were people in the town who would want to cause these problems.

Expressing his sympathy for the owners, Cllr Drake said: "I do feel sorry for the business if someone has caused thsi fire.

"Someone could have been injured in the fire. We could have been looking at a death.

"That's a very dangerous thing to do when they know people were inside."

Chairman of Weymouth PubWatch Keith Treggiden, said: "This is mindless vandalism that could have been costly, endangering people's lives.

"It could have gone seriously wrong and this is the type of thing that PubWatch is trying to stamp out."

Anyone with any information should call Dorset Police on 101 and quote crime number 15713.