A TAKEAWAY food shop that was destroyed by a burglar who set fire to the building in an effort to cover his tracks after his crime has risen from the ashes.

Owner Resit Gomul said it was insured, but it has still taken over 16 months to repair and restore the building, Belly Buster in Bedale.

He said he became so depressed while he fought to reopen the shop he thought about walking away from the business.

Arsonist Matthew Harrison, 22, from Bedale, was jailed for two years last year after Teesside Crown Court was told he stole a till, with £80 and food from the takeaway while high on drink and drugs and returned later to set fire to it in an attempt to destroy forensic evidence.

Another man who was present with the defendant was cautioned after he admitted burglary and theft.

The fire was so bad part of the roof collapsed, eight fire crews were involved in fighting the blaze, battling to stop it spreading to neighbouring homes and businesses in the Georgian terrace in Bedale’s town centre.

No one was injured in the fire but the charity shop next door, Age UK, suffered smoke damage.

Mr Gomul, 49, said he is still struggling to understand why the fire was started.

“It made no sense," he said.

"It was so shocking. A police officer knocked on my door and told me what had happened.

"It was horrendous. I thought maybe we had left on some equipment, but the fire investigators knew immediately, the till had been taken and the back door was open.

“I was really worried about the people living behind the shop. There were three elderly ladies, but the fire crews were really good and stopped it spreading.

"I was always hoping to reopen again, but when it took so long sometimes I lost hope."

He added: “Psychologically I thought I was going to lose my business, it was so scary.

"It was really depressing, but now I am so happy I am working every day. I started the business in 2009 and didn’t want to lose it.”

Mr Gomul said he has been overwhelmed by the support of all his customers since he reopened.

“People were coming through the doors straight away saying how much they missed us and it is so nice to be finally back,” he said.