THOUSANDS of fish were cruelly left to die on the floor of an aquarium store after it was broken into and vandalised.

About 30,000 tropical, marine and cold-water fish were killed when burglars targeted The Aquarium, in Low Willington, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

About £140,000 worth of damage was caused during the break-in on Sunday night.

The vandals smashed 292 of the store's 346 glass tanks, causing water to gush on to the floor and carrying the fish with it.

Among the dead pets were also newts, crabs, shrimps, lobsters, catfish and frogs.

An electronic heating and filtration system was also ruined and hundreds of pounds of dry stock was destroyed.

The incident was a huge blow for owner Nicholas Eltringham, who gave up his job as a sales manager for Harley- Davidson, in Germany, to launch the business.

He said: "When I came to open up on Monday morning I felt sick.

"I opened the doors and water and thousands of fish gushed out on to the road.

"There were about three inches of water on the floor and some fish were still struggling for life, I've managed to get a few home to look after, but don't know if they'll survive.

"It is really sickening. It was cruel to the livestock and has upset me. The shop was like an extension of me, as keeping fish is my hobby."

It has taken Mr Eltringham, 26, of nearby Crook, a year to establish the business, which has only been open for nine months.

He said he will have to close the shop, laying off one full-time and two part-time members of staff, for a year, until he can build it back up again.

He said: "Although I may not reopen in the same premises, I will bounce back - but it will take time for insurance to be sorted and to get new tanks and restock.

"Hopefully, the same staff will want their jobs back.

"Customers have been very sympathetic and have been a huge help clearing up. They have restored my faith in people."

Police are investigating the break-in and are appealing for anyone with information to contact Crook station on (01388) 762011.