A BOLTON entrepreneur spoke of his devastation today after fire wrecked his business for the second time in three years.

Derek Schofield, 49, who slowly built his carpet company after starting out with a small stall on Bolton Market 30 years ago, said he had been shattered by a huge blaze which destroyed his warehouse on Moor Lane, Bolton town centre, at the weekend.

And he believes the fire was deliberately started -- after discovering that his van was stolen on the night of the blaze.

Forty firemen and six engines tackled the inferno as it ripped off the storage building's roof and wrecked thousands of pounds worth of carpets and rugs.

Two and a half years ago, Mr Schofield, owner of Derek's Carpets, lost another warehouse in a copycat blaze in Blackhorse Street, Bolton.

Today he told the BEN: "I can't believe this has happened again. If it wasn't for the firemen saving some of the business, I'd be finished."

A massive fire fighting operation was launched at 8.51pm on Saturday when crews were alerted by an alarm at the warehouse, opposite Bolton bus station. Firemen were confronted by a fierce blaze, which had started at the front of warehouse and was tearing through the roof and already warping the brick walls.

Staff from a neighbouring Moor Lane Taxis were evacuated smoke began to pour into their building.

The road was closed and traffic diverted. Fire crews from throughout Greater Manchester, including Bolton, Bury and Farnworth, spent all night tackling the blaze and prevented damage from spreading from the warehouse to Mr Schofield's shop, which fronts on to Moor Lane.

Yesterday surveyors started making the building safe so investigators could sift through rubble to probe the cause.

Assistant Divisional Officer Jack Ford, leading the investigation, said: "We know the fire started at the front of the warehouse, but the cause may not be known for several days."

Mr Schofield, who lives in Horwich and still runs a stall on Bolton Market, said he was convinced arsonists had struck because his van had been stolen at the same time as the fire.

He said: "Someone must have it in for me - these things don't just happen. No one ever found out how the last fire started. This is too much of a coincidence." Mr Schofield, who is insured, plans to resume trading from his shop early this week and has vowed that customers' orders will be delivered.

He said: "It's a long way back, but hopefully one day the business will be fully rebuilt again."

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