A BLAZE which badly damaged a town centre business in Barnard Castle is thought to have been started deliberately.
Emergency services were called to Vere Road Garage in the early hours of Saturday morning.
A car parked to the rear of the garage was destroyed in the blaze as were a rear door and window.
The business is run by John Dixon, who only took over in March.
Mr Dixon, who lives in the town, said the first he knew of the incident was when police contacted him shortly after 2am on Saturday.
He said: “From what I have been told, the next door neighbour heard a motorbike and after that a ‘pop’ and ‘crackling’ with a car on fire.”
In the meantime other neighbours had called the fire service.
Mr Dixon said he had no idea why anyone would want to target his business.
“We have never had anything like this happen before,” he added.
Mr Dixon said the car which was destroyed was the garage run-about, although one customer’s vehicle had also been damaged.
“We had just had a brand new back door fitted [to the workshop] which has melted,” he said.
“I didn’t know anything about it until the police knocked on our door.”
Mr Dixon spent much of Saturday clearing up.
He said he hopes to have the garage back up and running towards the end of this week.
Police confirmed the fire is being treated as suspicious and said an investigation has begun. A spokesperson for Durham Constabulary said: “Police were contacted by the fire service at around 12.25am on Saturday who reported cars on fire at Vere Road Garage.
“Anyone with any information that could assist our enquiries should contact us on 101, quoting crime reference number CRI00561645 or speak to us online at www. durham.police.uk.”
Information can also be submitted anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
