Brian and Trevor Birtwistle survey the wreckage of their premises.
Machines worth thousands of pounds were destroyed in a blaze which gutted a timber-built workshop in Eastern Avenue in the early hours of Saturday morning. Three fire appliances were called to the fire at H. Todd and Son Ltd., saw specialists, and a new building in front of the timber workshop was saved, although the roof was badly damaged. There were 18 saw grinding machines in the timber building worth thousands of pounds and five of them were brand new. But despite the disaster, Mr. Brian Birtwistle, Managing Director, said the business would be working as normal this week. Mr. Birtwistle runs the company with the help of his wife Alice and two sons, Trevor and Russell. They took over the business in 1973 and the new building was only completed at Easter this year.