A BUSINESSMAN lost about £25,000 worth of stock when a fire swept through his business compound.

Barry Emery, who runs a van hire and haulage firm, lost about two tonnes of goods when a blaze ripped through his workplace on a Crook industrial estate on Wednesday night.

The fire is believed to have started in some bushes outside the premises, but quickly spread to a wagon container parked on his premises on the Castle Close industrial estate.

The container was full of pipe insulation and was not insured.

Police are investigating the fire