THE devastated owner of a Poole garage targeted by arsonists at the weekend says the building will have to be pulled down and completely rebuilt.

Police are investigating following the fire, which ripped through the Library Road Garage, Library Road, Parkstone, in the early hours of yesterday (August 19) morning.

Garage owner Danny Parker told the Daily Echo yesterday: "I got a call from the alarm company just gone 1am this morning, fortunately I was still awake.

"I only live a couple of minutes away as well, so I was here quickly.

"By the time I got here flames were 20 or 30 ft high, the car at the side was alight, the tyres were alight - the whole lot was up in flames."

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) received a dozen 999 calls just after 1am.

It was initially reported the fire involved tyres stacked outside the garage, but the fire quickly spread to a Mercedes car and onto the garage building itself.

Around 50 tyres and three vehicles were destroyed.

Firefighters from Poole and Westbourne fire stations attended.

A DWFRS spokesman said: "The cause of the fire is believed to be deliberate."

Mr Parker said: "The fire service was here a couple of minutes after me, but it was too late, it had all gone up.

"You have to have a flammable source for a tyre to go up, in my mind it is definitely arson.

"We never have any bad feedback, look online we are five star all round.

"We don't upset people, and we have a lot of support."

While forensics officers carried out a detailed search of the scene, Mr Parker also assessed the damage.

He said: "The building is made with lime mortar and you can see where it has bowed, so the heat has expanded the building.

"The roof is asbestos so the whole building will have to be pulled down and rebuilt - it is going to be a total loss. Everything has gone."

Mr Parker, who was supported by family and friends at the scene afterwards, hopes footage from CCTV - installed at the garage after a burglary last year - will help identify whoever is responsible for the attack.