A BURNLEY business suffered hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage in a suspected arson attack.

Fire crews were called to PD Global, Smallshaw Lane, off Accrington Road, after a fire started in two wagons full of stock ready for delivery.

They arrived to find the gates locked and had to climb over them to get into the yard of the firm, which makes pine furniture.

The blaze spread to a third wagon and firefighters fought to stop the fire spreading to the building.

However, metal sheeting on the outside of the building conducted heat and started a small fire inside.

Firefighters from Burnley and Nelson spent several hours at the scene following the incident, just after 3.20pm on Saturday.

Two wagons, a Mercedes and an Iveco, were broken into prior to the fire and were left gutted.

Detectives and fire bosses were today investigating the cause of the blaze, which is being treated as suspicious.

Watch manager Shaun Eastham praised his firefighters for an excellent job in difficult circumstances.

He said: "The gates were locked and on the other side there were two wagons on fire.

"Our first consideration was to save the building. We are not sure how it started yet but we are treating it as suspicious.

"Everybody did an excellent job in what were difficult circumstances."

Detective Inspector Sam Birtwell, of Burnley CID, said: "We are investigating to see what the cause of the fire was in the first instance.

"It is currently suspicious. A couple of vehicles were broken into previously so there had clearly been some kind of criminal activity.

"It has caused considerable damage.

"You are talking hundreds of thousands of pounds because the vehicles are not cheap."