THIEVES fled with £1,000 worth of fireworks from a shop in Bridgwater on New Year's Eve.

They broke in through the roof of Clive Farrance's Bridgwater Fireworks Shop UK on Bath Road in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The crooks fled with the haul after causing £600 worth of damage to the store's cabinets and stashing £100 from the store's tills.

This is the first time the shop has been targeted and Clive had been preparing for its busiest time of year.

He said: “I shut up shop the night before and discovered it had been broken into the following morning. It looked like a bomb had hit it.”

Clive remained defiant despite the break in and opened for business on the same day for the people of Bridgwater to usher in the new year in style.

He added: “This is the first time we have been broken into and it hasn't come at a good time.

“It will take more than this to stop us. The fire at neighbouring Dan's Dismantlers hit us a couple of years ago and a flood destroyed our warehouse.

“You take a few knocks but you get back up again.

“Just when you think you were putting the last year behind you, this happens and starts 2010 in the worst way.”

A spokesman for Bridgwater Police said: “Anyone who saw anyone acting suspiciously around the fireworks shop in the early hours of New Year's Eve or has any information on the break in should contact us immediately.”

You can contact Crimestoppers on 0800-555111 or Bridgwater Police on 0845-4567000.