BOSSES at a number of shops damaged by fire have vowed to work together to help each other out.

It is believed the fire broke out after a homeless man either tried to cook himself food in a nearby car park or set fire to rubbish to keep himself warm, and the flames got out of control.

Echo:

Damage - the fire gutted the building

Echo:

Survived - some of the stock

He was sleeping next to Bustles, the Lady McAdden breast cancer trust shop, in Elm Road, Leigh and fire spread to V.Mattacks, a century old fishmongers, and reportedly the Children’s Society charity shop nearby.

The potential new owner of V.Mattacks told the Echo last week that the fire had caused the roof to collapse and for stock to be ruined.

Ollie Brame also stated that the fishmongers would be closed for two to three months, however in the days following the fire, he was able to look positively to the future. The fishmonger, who first worked as a Saturday boy at the shop in 2008, aged 16, said: “There is some silver lining. We’re looking to be open way before we first thought.

“That depends on whether we can get some temporary roofing installed.

“I was planning to be the new owner and have it in my name by January 2020, but that’s now come forward to Christmas, if the necessary health and safety checks are passed.

Liz Storey, Operations Director at Lady McAdden Breast Screening Trust, explained how the homeless man had accessed their car park, and issued a plea to the community to pull together. She said: “He broke into the shops’ car park three weeks ago.

“Staff at the shop have been trying to help him out but he hasn’t been very forthcoming. It’s a shame, we want to try and help him.

“We’re worried about him. I don’t believe the fire was intentional.

“He hasn’t been seen since, I doubt he’ll come back.

“We have reported it. It concerns the safety of our staff.

“We had to evacuate the shop but were able to open again later in the day.

“Every retailer needs to pull together and help each other out.”

Paul Chaplin, shop manager for the Children’s Society, said: “We noticed flames from the car park to the rear of the shops’ backyard at about 9.50am on Thursday so we called the fire brigade and evacuated the shop.

“Fortunately, noone was harmed as a result of the fire but it has destroyed our back fence, back gate, and two storage sheds.

“Thanks to the swift response from the fire brigade, the shop itself is undamaged, so we are very grateful for that.”