ARSONISTS have been blamed for an explosion which tore apart a Harwood barber's shop today - after a spate of attacks on businesses in the area over recent weeks.

Devastated owner Peter Aldington could only watch helpless in tears as fire fighters battled in vain to save his well-established Lea Gate business.

The shop was reduced to a smouldering ruin within minutes after firebugs poured petrol through the letterbox.

The well-known barbers shop will now have to be demolished.

Firefighters were sent to Pete's Barbers at 1.50am after the fire alarm was activated. The building was already engulfed in flames.

Fire Sub Officer Peter Stephenson said: "The whole gable end had been blown off - and the roof was blowing away.

"There was a strong smell of petrol and the shop was on fire. We didn't need to go through the front - there was no side wall left."

Station Officer Dave Pimblett, added: "At first we thought it was a fractured gas main which had caused the explosion.

"Then we looked around for gas canisters but we didn't find any. Then we noticed a strong smell of petrol near the front door. "

Detectives are investigating the incident and looking into reports that premises in Harwood are being targeted. Firefighters say that more than a gallon of petrol was poured through the letter box and set alight - wrecking the single-storey building within minutes.

An empty can of patrol was found dumped in a wheelie bin belonging to the florist next door.

Heartbroken Mr Aldingon, 57, of Lincoln Grove, Harwood, said: "I got a call by police to come out.

"I didn't expect this. I thought it would be a window broken or some vandalism.

"I was shocked at what I saw. There were bricks everywhere. My shop was destroyed - but the front door and window was still intact. The front door was still locked. I was looking forward to taking early retirement as my wife, Gill, is disabled and I was going to look after her.

"I was looking around to sell but I guess I will have to put my plans on hold now."

Mr Aldington moved into the Lea gate shop 11 years ago but has been located in different premises cutting hair in Harwood for the past 31 years.

Mr Aldington added: "The hope is that we can get the premises re-built and move back in as soon as possible.

"In the meantime, I'll have to find something temporary as a stop gap while the re-building continues." The explosion has shocked other business owners who today revealed a spate of break-ins and vandalism in recent weeks.

Essa Bilal, 24, has just taken ownership of nearby Lea Gate News Agency, days after the shop was broken into.

He said: "I'm really concerned about this, and now I'm thinking about putting shutters up. If anything happens to my shop I will be out of business."

Just a few doors further along, a staff member at a dry cleaning company revealed that the shop's window had been smashed, and the door damaged in an attack at Christmas. And postmaster David Rothwell, at Bradshaw Post Office, said that local business people were in a state of shock after their shops had been targeted.

Although the post office has not been affected, he added: "We are aware of what's going on. It's all happened in the last four weeks. Cars have gone off drives, houses have been broken into and shops damaged."

Demolition expert Matthew Porter from N and R Demolitions in Halifax, said that the shop's shell would be pulled down later today. He said: "We are going to wait for the council surveyor to come out, and there's going to be an investigation. Until that we can't touch the building."

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