A FOOD store with up to £20,000-worth of stock was badly damaged by a fire, which burned out an upstairs flat.

The Mace Convenience store, in Colne Road, Earby, was closed yesterday as devastated owner Mohammed Javed began a massive clean-up operation.

Part of the store's ceiling collapsed, bringing down electrical wiring and lights, and shelves of food and drink were covered with plastic sheeting in a bid to protect them from water cascading through the roof.

"I don't know when I'm going to be able to open," said Mr Javed, who lives in Albert Street, Nelson. "People have been waiting outside but I've had to turn them away.

"It's a mess. I'm going to have to see the council's health inspector and go on what he tells me. There's between £15,000 and £20,000-worth of food and drink in here and a lot of it has been damaged." The fire broke out in a flat above the popular store at around 1am yesterday. Police and fire officers are investigating the cause of the blaze.

Mr Javed said the flat was being used by young men who were away for the weekend when the fire broke out.

But neighbours said they thought the flat had been empty for several weeks and it had been the target for vandals, who had broken in a number of times.

Donald Lucas, who lives next door to the store, said: "The door to the flat has been boarded up two or three times, but youngsters still kept breaking in. It's been empty for the past five or six weeks after a couple of lasses who used to be there left."

The store has been the target of racist attacks in the past. Its windows have been smashed and groups of youths have gathered outside shouting racist taunts.

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