Smash and grab at new Blackpool shop

Thieves smashed the window at Impact Kitchens in Westcliffe Drive, Layton, overnight on Monday and stole a picture from inside.

The company had been set up by Richard Webster and Denise Denney, who have been left fuming after discovering the damage.

Police confirmed they are investigating the break-in.

Mr Webster said: “We have been working on opening this shop for about two months to get to this stage.

“We were due to have our open day on Friday and now we will have to do it with a boarded up window.

“Some toe-rag has picked up a stone squirrel ornament from nearby and tried to put the window through.

“Then they have got a stone wall-capping and smashed it in with that.

“They stole a picture of animals that we had just recently bought and had left there ready to put up on the wall.

“I am fuming and Denise is really upset.”

He said that the shop had been a dream of business partner Denise’s for some time and they had been looking for a suitable premises.

Richard, who has worked in the kitchens retail sector for almost 30 years said it was a blow but said it would not dampen their enthusiasm

He added that they were hoping to get a replacement window on Saturday.

He said: “This is our first venture together.

“We have put a lot of time and money into this so we are obviously upset.

“The lady from the butchers shop nearby phoned us up at around 5.30am to tell us the window had been smashed.”

Police last night confirmed they were investigating the incident.

A spokeswoman said: “We were made aware at around 5.10am of reports a new kitchen shop had a smashed front window.”

Investigations are ongoing.