A Faversham firebug torched a roadside diner because he was angry about being promoted from its pot washer to manager, a court heard.

Disgruntled Daniel Freeman, who recently changed his name from Burton by deed poll for family reasons, admitted arson and stealing £800 from his boss Hannah Jhetta.

Philip Sutton, prosecuting, told Canterbury magistrates on Monday that Freeman was so annoyed at being given responsibility for cooking and managing Mickey's Diner on top of washing dishes that he stole cash from the till and set fire to the building on the night of July 29.

The 23-year-old had finished work at 4pm that day and before heading home to Buttermere, Faversham, he bought a container of petrol, which he then stored in his back garden.

Later that night he texted people that he knew had been working at the A2 restaurant at Upper Harbledown making sure they had gone home.

Armed with the petrol can and using his keys, he returned to the diner and took money from the till and cash box underneath it.

He then doused the interior in fuel and using a match sent the single-storey building up in smoke before fleeing the scene.

The fierce blaze is estimated to have caused £180,000 worth of damage.

Staff at the neighbouring Texaco garage spotted smoke bellowing from the cafe and called the emergency services.

Several days later Freeman handed himself in at Canterbury police station and confessed.

Mr Sutton said: "This was done intentionally because he had formed a grudge.

"He was acting intentionally and not recklessly.

"The damage to the premises is estimated at £180,000, but this is subject to the insurance estimations, but we are not talking about a small sum."

Nigel Numas, for Freeman, said: "This is inexplicable, he admits he is guilty and can't explain exactly why he did it.

"Lots of tension had built up and a grudge had formed with his former employer."

Freeman will be sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court later.

He remains on conditional bail, and is not to contact his former employer.