A BOLTON businesswoman is demanding urgent action to stop thieves, vandals and arsonists targeting an empty town centre shop. Rachel Lambton, who runs La Rachelle on Bradshawgate, said the recent closure of the Escom Computer store next door has left her business vulnerable. She said: "Since it closed the place has been broken into numerous times and recently the basement was set on fire. When I got to work next morning you could smell the smoke. If the fire brigade had not got there in time my business would have gone too.

"The burglar alarm is always going off and in one instance it rang continually for four days - night and day."

She added: "It makes me so worried. When I lock up at night I just pray I've got a business to come back to in the morning. Someone should be responsible for the building."

The store closed in July when receivers were called in to the high street chain, which also had branches in Leigh and Chorley.

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