A CHARITY is asking the public to rally round after the stock in one of its shops was badly damaged in an arson attack.

Staff from disability charity Scope have still not been able to get back into the store on Bridge Street, Taunton, following the fire in the early hours of Sunday, October 4.

Ralph Beevers, Scope's head of retail operations, said: “We are extremely sad that there has been a fire at our shop.

“We’ve yet to go back into the shop, but anticipate that most of the stock has been damaged by smoke.

“It’s hard to say when exactly the shop will re-open, but when it does we’ll probably be extremely low on stock and will have to ask the community to rally round with donations.

“All the money raised in our shops supports our work with disabled people and their families.”

Police have issued an appeal for witnesses after fire investigators concluded that the blaze was started deliberately in the premises store room.

If you saw anyone acting suspiciously near the store in Bridge Street between midnight and 1am on Sunday, October 4, contact Taunton Police on 101 quoting reference 5216219473.