A HAIR and beauty salon left owners devastated after it was ransacked in the latest in a spate of burglaries targeting Horwich businesses.

The family-run business had to shut up shop for two days after thieves left the interior of the premises in a wreck.

The intruders removed slate tiles from the roof of Image in Lee Lane, Horwich, sliced through the felt covering and insulation and kicked a hole in the ceiling before dropping down into the store and searching nearly every inch of the salon.

Louise Fitton, who owns the firm with her sister Rachel Thorpe, said: "We were devastated when we came in. I couldn't get the image out of my head. They had ransacked the place and stolen everything.

"They ripped cupboard doors off and left insulation on the kitchen floor, and broke through a door to get to the float money."

It was the first break-in the sisters had experienced since they took over the 40-year-old business 12 years ago.

Mrs Fitton said: "It's so upsetting. It's sickening somebody could do it. I can't even put it in words.

"Lots of clients have sent their well-wishes and asked if we need help or if they could come and make us a tea while we clean up."

The culprits took hairdryers, hair straighteners, nail lamps and 140 bottles of Shellac nail polish, leaving Ms Fitton with just five.

But they also escaped with odd items like mugs from the kitchen cupboards, used hair brushes and nail files and 5p plastic bags it is suspected they used to carry the haul away.

Mrs Fitton said: "We have no stock so we had to close to customers for two days until we had phoned them all to find out what they wanted and to re-arrange appointments and do home visits if necessary.

"I couldn't even help a client if I wanted to.

"We have posted on Facebook groups to make the products too hot to handle."

The raid was the latest in a spate of burglaries targeting Horwich businesses, including a bakery, a cafe, two restaurants – one targeted twice in a week – a sandwich shop, a betting shop and a primary school.

Mrs Fitton said: "I had seen on The Bolton News' Facebook page the burglaries at some other businesses in Horwich, but you never think it will be yours."

Police confirmed they are investigating the break-in, which was committed some time between around 3pm on Tuesday and around 8.30am on Wednesday.

No description of the thieves is available and no arrests have been made.

Staff found the knife used to cut the felt and insulation and have handed the weapon to officers.

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting incident reference 472 of January 11 2017.