A DEVASTATED shopkeeper says he believes someone is trying to force him out of business after four break-ins and two serious fires within a week.

The latest blaze in the early hours of Sunday caused such severe damage at Taz’s off-licence in Bridge Street that part of the shop floor collapsed into the basement.

The fire, which was started in the cellar, wrecked the whole basement area and the flames burned through joists supporting the floor.

Only a week earlier, someone broke into the flat above and started a fire which damaged the upper floor.

But owner Tariq Mahmood, 40, was able to clean up his ground floor shop area and carry on trading.

As well as two fires, his premises were twice broken into during the same week and copper piping ripped out of the flat. Both times his shop and stock were damaged by water.

He said: "It is too much of a coincidence for these things to keep happening and all within a week. I think somebody is trying to force me out of business but I have no idea why. As far as I know, I have no enemies and I have no idea why anybody would want to destroy my living.

"I get on really well with people in this town."

Mr Mahmood, who is married with two children and lives in Rochdale, added: "This is very upsetting for me and I just don’t know what to do now. Until the shop is repaired, I have no income."

He said the cigarette display cabinet behind the counter had been emptied and spirits taken from shelves.

Heywood fire station crew manager John Nolan said: "There was evidence that the cellar fire on Sunday was started deliberately and the premises had been broken into. Police were called and they are now investigating.

"This was a very severe fire which caused the partial collapse of the shop floor, so the premises cannot be used.

"This was the second serious fire at the shop within a week and both fires are being treated as suspicious."

Only last summer, Mr Mahmood was in mourning when his 19-year-old nephew died suddenly as he worked in the shop. As Mr Mahmood and other relatives left to fly to Pakistan with the body, someone burgled the shop.