AN INVESTIGATION is underway into the cause of a fire that destroyed thousands of pounds of machinery at a York business.

The blaze started in a section of the recycling yard at Martins Skip Hire in Osbaldwick at about 6.20pm on Friday, and burned for about an hour before fire crews managed to extinguish the flames.

North Yorkshire Police have increased patrols in the area following the blaze, which officers said could have been started some time before the fire service were called, and have called an arson attack.

A spokeswoman said: "Initial estimates of the damage caused to the premises is around £100,000, however a further assessment of the damage is due to be carried out."

Myra Martin, whose husband Tony founded the company in 1996, said police had been called to the site numerous times in recent weeks, following a string of incidents with intruders trespassing at the site and intimidating workers.

She said: "People have been coming in our yard, sitting on the wall and throwing bricks at our workers.

"It's absolutely thousands of pounds worth of machinery that's gone up, including a trommel and a picking station used to sort out the waste. We're just trying to make a living and this is what happens."

Mrs Martin said the site would still be able to operate, but recyclable waste would not be able to be sorted on site until new equipment was brought in, meaning the company would have to pay another firm to sort the waste.

Workers at the company assisted North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service on Friday by using an onsite excavator to turn over hotspots in the burning waste, while fire crews from York, Huntington and Acomb damped it down.

A Fire Service spokesman said crews revisited the site on Saturday, but the investigation had been left with police.

Anyone with any information that could assist the police investigation should phone 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.