Ram raid for fireworks

Boxes of fireworks worth thousands of pounds have been stolen in a ram-raid on a business in Cannock.

Bosses of Fantasy Fireworks have now put up a £2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

A car was driven into the heavy metal shutters of the unit at Beechwood Business Park, off Burdock Close in Hawks Green, at around 11.30pm on Sunday and thieves grabbed boxes full of fireworks worth around £3,000.

An alert was sent to owner Rebecca Meakin's mobile phone that the alarm had been activated at around 11.30pm and she rushed to the unit as she lives nearby. The thieves had already fled.Miss Meakin, aged 27, provides fireworks throughout the year but the base is just open to the public around Bonfire Night and Christmas and only opened three weeks ago.

She opened a similar store in Brownhills at peak times for the trade two years ago but did not do so last year and decided to give it another go in Cannock this year.

She said: "It's an absolute nightmare, it really is. We are still open for business but they did take a lot of our stock and we've just got to sort it out.

"We only opened three weeks ago but it won't put us off and we will carry on as normally as we can."

Workers have been busy checking how much of the stock, which included fireworks of all sizes including large rockets, was taken.

The fireworks stolen were branded Menshun, a rare make specially imported from China.

Anyone being offered such fireworks for sale is urged to contact police immediately.

Inspector Mat Derrick of Cannock Police said: "Fireworks in the wrong hands could present a potential health and safety threat."

Call police in Cannock on 08453 302010.

By Michelle Pearson