Chris Coppell, manager of Thorntons Signature Cards and Gifts in Hough Lane, feared all the hard work she'd put into extending her popular store would go up in smoke when a blaze started on Sunday afternoon.

Fortunately for Chris, who was running errands at the time, builders were inside the shop finishing off the recent refurbishment.

They spotted smoke from the rear of the building and called the fire brigade. There was only minimal damage to a garage door behind the chocolate, cards and gifts shop.

It's thought the fire was started deliberately and the culprits have been condemned.

The manager said: "It is so dangerous. These people need to think about what they are doing, there's people in the flats upstairs and it was just lucky that the builders saw the smoke and raised the alarm.

"We are trying to promote Leyland, but this is not the first time that the bins have been burnt out and it looks awful."

• For more on this story, pick up a copy of this week's Leyland Guardian

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