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Volunteer-run café 'ransacked' in suspected arson

Janet Attwood Inside burnt cafe, with extensive scorch marks and fire damage. A great deal of the contents is covered in soot. Janet Attwood
Volunteers were shown inside the café to view the damage on Tuesday afternoon

A café run by elderly volunteers in Bradford has been left "ransacked" and damaged in a suspected arson attack.

Peelers' Café, which is operated by the Friends of Peel Park community group, was reportedly broken into and torched on Monday morning.

Janet Attwood, one of the volunteers, said stock had been stolen and the inside of the café had been left "covered in soot".

West Yorkshire Police confirmed it was investigating a suspected arson at the community venue in Peel Park, Cliffe Road.

"We have a small group of volunteers," Ms Attwood said.

"I'm the youngest and I'm 60, so it's not like we are young people with lots of energy between us."

Stephen Armstrong/Geograph A green cafe in a Bradford park, with "Peelers' Cafe" written in green letters on the sign. Grey shutters are down over the door and windows. A park bench is in the foreground. Stephen Armstrong/Geograph
The community café is run by volunteers in Peel Park in Bradford

The café was targeted by vandals back in 2017, but Ms Attwood said the latest attack was "considerably worse".

"They have looted it, they have ransacked it and they have set it on fire," she said.

"It has just completely obliterated our ability to do anything until the place is fit for purpose again, but I don't know when it will happen."

She added: "I am disappointed and I am saddened."

A West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were called to reports of a building fire in Peel Park.

"We sent two crews from Bradford and one from Shipley who used breathing apparatus and hose reels to extinguish the fire."

Police asked for anyone with information to get in contact.

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