A FIRE which swept through Accrington nightclub Opium will not mean the end of the popular venue, the owner said today.

Mick Cookson, a businessman based in Burnley, was speaking just hours after his club was damaged in a blaze initially being treated as a suspected arson attack.

But Mr Cookson is determined the Willow Street nightspot will be back, and work will begin as soon as he is allowed back in the building.

The blaze is being investigated by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.

But Mr Cookson said: "It isn't the end of Opium. All the staff are absolutely devastated and gutted. It has come at Christmas, which is the best time of year for us as well."

Over the years Opium has played host to a number of celebrities in a bid to attract punters through its doors.

Glamour model Jordan, Coronation Street star Jonathan Wrather, who played Joe Carter, and troubled former boxer Frank Bruno have all been drafted in. Most recently Opium attracted the attention of the police over a stunt which would have seen £500 scattered over the dance floor. Officers asked the club to pull the plug on the promotion amid safety fears.

Yesterday Willow Street was still closed to traffic in front of the nightclub, and broken tiles littered the road outside.

A police officer was standing guard and large holes in the roof of the building - dating back to the 1800s - were visible from the street.

But Mr Cookson, who claims to have sunk millions of pounds of investment into Opium, says the damage is not as bad as first thought.

He said: "The building is repairable. As soon as they give me the OK I want to get back in and sort it out.

"As far as I am concerned, as soon as we can get in we will sort it out straight away."