ARSONISTS are thought to be behind a fire that will see a shed and conservatory firm closed for the foreseeable future.

Banburys, which is within the Manor Garden Centre, on the Cheney Manor industrial estate, was broken into on Sunday night and set on fire.

The cause of the blaze is still being investigated.

An office and several conservatories were gutted and managing director Royce Fenby has estimated that the damage will run to at least £100,000.

It is thought that vandals broke into the garden centre at about 10pm. The fire service was called by someone in nearby Akers Way who saw the smoke just before 10.30pm, and firefighters tackled the blaze until just before midnight.

Mr Fenby, who also runs the company's other centre in Gloucester, said he was devastated by the news.

"Whoever it was broke into the centre and then smashed through some glass to get into the office," he said.

"We don't know whether they were looking for money and set fire to the office because they were angry that they didn't find any.

"The damage is so bad that everything is going to have to come down and be rebuilt. It will be a real interruption.

"When I first saw the damage I thought that retirement was looming, because I thought it was finished."

Mr Fenby is hoping to get a temporary building running as soon as possible, but said that the fire would hit the business hard.

"The bank holiday is usually the busiest day of the year," he said.

"But now we'll be closed for the foreseeable future and it will need a complete rebuilding and refurbishment." Yesterday police scenes of crime officers were at the centre, which has been open for seven years, taking samples for analysis.

Wiltshire Fire Brigade confirmed that the office and four conservatories had been damaged, and that the cause is suspicious.

Insp Paul Hawkins of Swindon police urged anyone in Cheney Manor at the time to come forward.

"Our crime scene investigation team is carrying out a full investigation," he said.

"We need to hear from anyone who may have noticed anything suspicious near there at the time."

Anyone with any information has been asked to ring police on 0845 408 7000 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.