A DENTIST today spoke of her shock after she turned up to work to find her surgery had been destroyed in an arson attack.

Dr Barbara Mitton and her husband, Frank, who works as the receptionist, were stunned when they arrived at the practice in Colne Road, Burnley, shortly after 8am to find the ground floor gutted and fire damaged equipment piled up outside on the pavement.

The couple, who live in Blackburn, have been at the practice in Duke Bar for more than three years.

Dr Mitton said: "It was started deliberately. Someone has smashed the middle window and put something through.

"I am totally shocked, I just don't know what we are going to do. The first patient was booked in for 8.30am and we were fully booked up. What am I going to tell them?"

Mr Mitton said: "It is in a hell of a state in there. It looks as though it has gone right through the premises.

"I am shaking with shock. We have had no problems before. It is totally unexpected."

The fire destroyed the waiting room and thick smoke also damaged the rest of the Colne Road property and spread into Barclays Bank next door and the Kentucky Fried Chicken shop further along Colne Road.

The fire was spotted by a passer-by at 5.40am today and the ground floor was well alight when fire crews arrived.

The waiting room was totally destroyed but the firefighters were able to prevent it spreading.

Station Officer Paul Harvey said: "The cause is being investigated, but we suspect it was deliberate.

"The early indications are that someone may have smashed a small window and pushed something through. We could not find a cause for the fire inside."

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