A group of youths have caused damage to local businesses in Ramsbottom during a 'night of madness' by starting fires and smashing windows.
The owners of The Drop Off Cafe on Market Street, Edenfield, said they arrived at the business on Monday morning (November 8) to find one of the outdoor tables had been burnt.
“I got to work in the morning and the table just looked like a firework had exploded on it, but it also had pieces of books scattered around the floor,” the owner, who asked not to be named, told the M.E.N.
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“I went to look at our CCTV footage and saw that three kids were climbing on the seats and looking around the property at around 2.30am on Monday morning.
“They sat round the table, got some books out from the nearby community book exchange and set fire to it.
“They must have been sitting around the table for about five to ten minutes before I think they realised the fire was getting quite big. They then went to a nearby beer barrel which is used for water for dogs, got a bucket of water and put it out.”
The youths are then thought to have proceeded into Ramsbottom while blaring loud music and shouting, according to other residents in the area.
At around 3.50am, a window at the Ramsbottom Sweets and Bears shop on Bridge Street was smashed.
Louise Isherwood, who works in the shop with her family, said their CCTV footage captured three people walking towards the doorway of the business before starting to kick the window.
“Because it’s laminated glass, they couldn’t really get it to come out so they left it at first,” Louise said.
“They came back about five minutes later and managed to pull the glass out and stole a couple of bears from the window display before making off.”
Louise said the shop window has since been boarded up and they are now waiting to get the damage repaired.
“As a family, we’re upset by it,” she added.
“At first we thought we had been targeted and couldn’t understand why someone would do that.
“What they’ve pinched isn’t the major thing really to us, it’s just the mindless damage they’ve caused.
“But it’s been really heartwarming to see the comments and support we’ve received from people in the area since the incident happened.”
The owner of The Drop Off Cafe said that they had also been been left upset by the incident.
“We’ve been here for about six and a half years now and we’ve never had anything happen to this extent before,” they explained.
“You put so much effort into your family business so when someone disrespects your property like that, it’s really quite upsetting.
“It’s taken quite a lot of effort for us to establish ourselves so to have someone do this has been quite devastating to be honest.”
Greater Manchester Police confirmed they received a report of a shop window being kicked in on Bridge Street at around 4.30am on Monday (November 8). No arrests have been made.
Lancashire Police have been contacted about the incident in Edenfield.
Anyone with information can contact police on 101 or via their website.
