‘Night of madness’
AGROUP of youths have caused damage to businesses 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 on Monday morning 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, said.
“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.
“You put so much effort into your family business so when someone disrespects your property like that, it’s really quite upsetting.”
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.
“As a family, we’re upset by it.”
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 any information can contact police on 101 or via their website.