Co Down charity shop badly damaged following arson attack

A charity shop has been badly damaged in an arson attack in Co Down.

It happened overnight at Action Cancer in the Market Street area of Bangor.

A man in his 50's has been arrested on suspicion of arson and criminal damage.

The charity's Chief Executive Gareth Kirk has spoken to CoolFM/Downtown exclusively:

“It’s really sad, it’s really disappointing. I think it’s sad when any business is taken out of the marketplace. It’s particularly sad when it’s a charity.”

“At the end of the day at action cancer we provide breast screening services and skin cancer services and therapeutic support for people impacted by cancer, all free of charge to the end user. The revenue we generate through our retail stores across Northern Ireland is critical.”

“This may well impact on the number and volume of services we provide and it may impact on the number of cancers we detect.”

Sergeant Frew said: “At approximately 4am, we received a report that a fire had broken out in a shop in the Market Street area and also a report that a window had been smashed on a door of a second business close by.

“Police along with colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attended and the fire was extinguished, however a substantial amount of damage was caused to the shop.

“A short time later, officers arrested a man aged in his 50s on suspicion of arson and criminal damage.

“He remains in police custody at this time."

Police are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident or to anyone with CCTV or other footage that could assist with their investigation, to contact them on 101 quoting reference 176 of 28/08/24.

Alternatively, you can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/