A SHOP owner said a break-in at her cafe on Tuesday night has left her devastated.

Wendy Davies, 39, who has been running Granny's Kitchen, in Bondgate, Darlington, for two-and-a-half years, yesterday found her premises had been smashed into and the till stolen.

Many of her loyal customers called in yesterday morning to find Ms Davies deeply upset by what had happened.

She said: "I'm devastated.

"The impact it has had on me as a small business is untold. I cannot trade today.

"One day lost is a big thing for us."

Ms Davies said the break-in would affect her catering and cafe business for weeks to come, adding: "I have got 170 pies to make by hand for this Friday for a Remembrance Day dinner.

" I have got craft fairs coming up, there is a lot to do."

The actions of the intruder were caught on CCTV.

Ms Davies said: "When I saw him kick the window in it felt like he was kicking me, that's howmuch this business means to me.

"I am covered by my insurance but there's a £250 excess fee so I'll need to find that money to pay it, which is not easy."

The full cost of the damage is not yet known.

A neighbouring businessman, who did not give his name, said shop break-ins were not unusual in the street.

He said his electrical shop had been broken into five times in the past three years.

A man was seen by a member of the public smashing the shop window at Granny's Kitchen shortly before 11.30pm on Tuesday and police were called.

A spokesman for Darlington police said that a 20-yearold man had been arrested shortly after the crime on suspicion of causing criminal damage.