A North Belfast businessman is appealing for help after his van was set on fire outside his premises this week.
John Kelly, owner of Use Your Loaf on the Antrim Road, took to social media to appeal for anyone with information to come forward following the incident involving the Peugeot vehicle in the early hours of Thursday morning.
John, who also owns the neighbouring taxi firm, opened his "pound and a penny" bakery three years ago.
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He posted on Facebook on Thursday: "My van was set on fire last night outside the shop on the Antrim Road, if anyone has any information please get in touch
"We do our best to help everyone in this community and support as much as we can, now we’re asking for your help. Can you please share this far and wide to try and help us to find the thugs that have done this.
"If anyone has any dash can footage or drove past it between 12-1:15 please let us know."
John told Belfast Live : "The van got burned out outside the shop sometime between 12 midnight and 1am the night before last. We only got that van about a year and a half ago at a cost of around £25,000.
"I've reported it to my insurance company but I'm waiting to hear back. In the meantime we've had to get another van to tide us over temporarily and keep the business going.
"With business so tough at the minute I could have done without this but it was either get another van or close the doors. Honestly, I'm just so disappointed that this has happened. We do so much for our community so I can’t understand it."
A PSNI spokesperson said: "Police in north Belfast are appealing for information following a report of a van on fire on the Antrim Road at around 1am yesterday morning, Thursday 9 June.
"Anyone who may have witnessed anyone suspicious in the area at that time or who may have any information in relation to the fire is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference 59 of 09/06/22."
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