A TRADER has been left counting the cost after thieves caused thousands of pounds of damage.

A curved window beside TH Moore Rugs’ front door in Accrington was smashed, a gate damaged, and stock, including a laptop, stolen in the 4.30am raid.

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Owner Anne Gregson, 43, who has been opening sporadically for the past five weeks due to ill health, said the break-in has delayed the reopening of her business and could cost around £3,000 in repairs and replacement stock.

The married mum-of-two said police were called to the premises, in Infant Street, on Saturday by a passer-by.

She was out of town staying with friends, where she was relaxing ahead of a pre-planned refurbishment and reopening, which was due to take place this week, when officers rang her.

“It’s a rug shop at the end of the day,” she said. “I’m not knocking what I do, but it’s not the most expensive shop to steal from.

“I can think of better places to steal from if you are wanting to sell things on.

“They have smashed the curved window beside the front door, the most expensive window they could have broken. Without wallowing, the excess on my insurances is over £500.

“It’s almost as if somebody has known [the window] is the worst thing to attack. It’s not the bit you would smash really, you would smash the front window.”

Mrs Gregson has worked at the shop for the past five years and owned it herself for the past three. She is planning to reopen at the end of the week.

If anyone saw anything or knows anything, they are urged to call police on 101 quoting log 303 of Sept 5.