THIEVES caused hundreds of pounds of damage when they smashed their way into a garden centre and poured diesel all over the floor before fleeing empty-handed.

The break-in happened at about 9.30pm on Sunday when burglars forced their way through a side door at Stephen H Smith garden centre in Bradley Fold Road, Bradley Fold.

The intruders ripped the centre’s alarm system off the wall and smashed it up, but could not get into the main area of the shop because internal doors were locked. They then poured diesel over the broken alarmand the floor before escaping.

Staff were left with a major clean-up operation as they had to mop up the fuel with bleach, and part of the shop still smelled strongly of diesel yesterday.

Manager David Yewdall said: “I got a phone call from security saying that fire and police were here, so I came down straightaway.

“I’m just annoyed that some idiots have broken in and done this, but luckily they didn’t get into the main centre. We think they might have been disturbed, or maybe they just couldn’t get through the locked doors.”

The fire service were called to the incident, but the diesel, which is difficult to ignite, was not set alight.

A police spokesman said: “Police are investigating the incident as a break-in. Some sort of substance has been poured inside the building.”

Stephen H Smiths was hit by a blaze that caused £20,000 of damage in July last year after fire spread from a bonfire at a neighbouring property.

The fire destroyed about 40sqm of fence panels and a £7,000 sweeping machine.

Anyone with information about the break-in can call police on 0161 8725050 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.