A REWARD is on offer for information about three arson attacks at a popular pie and mash restaurant.

Youngsters may have targeted Robin’s Pie and Mash restaurant with fire bombs, the restaurant owner June Robins has said.

Mrs Robins said she would consider giving £500 for information which leads to an arrest.

Police have confirmed the restaurant in High Street, Wanstead, was at the centre of failed arson attacks on three consecutive nights on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The business is currently closed because of smoke damage to the premises.

Mrs Robins, who owns the family-run business, said: "The officer involved in the case thinks there's an initiation thing and youngsters have to do it to get into a gang.

"It might be kids or something because they haven't known what they're doing."

The restaurant, on the corner of Wanstead Place, was cordoned off by police on Tuesday morning after a hole was smashed in the glass front door and the windows of the restaurant were blackened by smoke.

A police spokeswoman said: "The incidents involve criminal damage and arson to the shop.

"Police are treating these incidents extremely seriously and the investigation is ongoing."

Mrs Robins, 72, who has four other pie and mash restaurants in east London and Essex, said: "We've never had one little bit of trouble before and this looks bad on the High Street.

"We will have professional people in to clean next week but we won't be open again for a couple of weeks."

The Wanstead restaurant started trading in April last year and Mrs Robins said they are always busy.

She said: "Where else can you get a lovely hot meal for £3?

"We had Jamie Oliver pop into our East Ham shop last week and he said 'June, I can't believe you can do this for that price'.

"This doesn't make sense, it's disgusting what they have done.

"We look after pensioners in this area as we have a lot of elderly who come in for a meal.

"Luckily nobody was hurt or injured and we will just carry on again "What is annoying is that these people must be very lonely and boring with no lives.

"We are looking forward to getting up and running again and we will have a big opening day, we survived the war so we can survive this."

Mrs Robins, who has nine grandchildren, said she will have a better idea of when she can reopen after a loss adjuster has visited on Monday.