Police said on Sunday they were investigating a suspected arson at a mosque in southern England as a “hate crime”, days after a fatal attack on a synagogue.

Officers were called to the incident at the mosque in the southern coast town of Peacehaven late on Saturday.

While no one was injured, the fire caused damage to the mosque’s front entrance and a car parked outside.

In the wake of the attack, Sussex Police shared images of two masked men dressed in dark clothing and appealed for help from the public to identify them.

Detective Inspector Gavin Patch branded the fire an “appalling and reckless attack which we know will have left many people feeling less safe”.

“We are treating this as an arson with intent to endanger life and are continuing to pursue a number of lines of inquiry to identify those responsible,” said Patch.