Thieves blow factory apart

Thieves blew up a Wolverhampton factory in a desperate bid to cover their tracks after breaking open a safe.

Middleton Catering Equipment came crashing to the ground, throwing glass and debris across a busy city road, following the early morning raid by thieves using oxyacetylene cutters.

More than 70 firefighters were called from across the region following the blast, which terrified residents living nearby feared was a bomb exploding.

An urban search and rescue team were drafted in to scour through the rubble, which spilled out on to the Willenhall Road, and rescue dogs were brought in from London to hunt for any casualties who might have been trapped under the debris.

Part of the road remained closed today for motorists travelling out of Wolverhampton while the clean-up operation took place following the blast, which has destroyed around 40 per cent of the building.

The factory is part of the Middleton catering operation, which provides batter for fish and chips and other fast food snacks as well as equipment such as friers and fish and chip paper.

Owner Len Middleton said: "I just can't believe the damage. It has hit business hard today but you've got to keep moving on."

Alan Pellowe, divisional area commander for south Birmingham, described the site following yesterday's explosion, at around 6am, as a "scene of devastation".

He said: "Thankfully the explosion happened in the early morning and so nobody else was affected.

"We think people were using it to get into safes. We have found one which has been opened in that way which had no money in. We have found the oxyacetylene cylinder which its valve open so we are assuming they whoever broke in blew it up on purpose to cover their tracks."

The force of the blast blew out windows in Balbir Khaur's home, opposite the building. She said: "It was terrifying. We thought a bomb had gone off."

More pictures and reports in Monday's Express & Star.