FIRE bombers destroyed the offices of a roofing contractor in an area dubbed by local businesses as "crime capital of Rossendale."

Two home made petrol bombs were thrown through the windows of J and J Roofing on Burnley Road, East, Whitewell Bottom, at around midnight.

Neighbours living opposite heard breaking glass and saw the flash of fire and someone running away from the scene.

A fire brigade spokesman said a small part of the offices were fire damaged and the remainder damaged by smoke and water.

He confirmed that the attack was being treated as suspicious.

The offices are on the ground floor of a building which is also occupied by a garage and an electrical contractor. None of the other businesses were affected.

The fire is in an area which has been plagued by vandalism and theft. Last month thieves struck twice at a nearby car hire company and stripped over £4,000 worth of tiles from the roof. Owner Chris Barker said up to a year ago he called the police 15 times in 12 months.

In the same period Dent's garage, which shares the same building as the roofing contractor, suffered 20 acts of arson and 30 acts of vandalism. Staff kept a diary of the attacks.

Businesses in the area had believed high profile policing had put an end to the thefts and vandalism which plagued the hamlet which car hire business owner Chris Barker said had become "the crime capital of the area."

Police want to question a white man seen in the area, aged around 30 and about 5ft 9ins tall. He wore a silky shirt or bomber-style jacket and had shoulder-length, wavy brown hair.

Anyone with information can contact detectives Jack Challoner and Ray Entwistle on 01706 873350.

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