TWO businesses lost about £50,000 worth of equipment and materials in a massive blaze near York.

Barker Joinery & Construction and PS Autos were both gutted by the fire, which broke out on Saturday evening at Moor Farm, Murton.

Simon Barker, owner of the joinery firm, whose workshop and stores have been based there for about four years, said today he had lost everything.

"My tipper truck, worth about £5,000, was totally destroyed," he said. "I lost all my joinery machinery, power tools - about £15,000 worth of stock - and also lost about £10,000 worth of materials.

"The building is totally unusable - the door and the roof were ripped off."

He said he found out about the fire when he got a phone call on Saturday evening. "I was devastated, gutted," he said.

He said his firm specialised in building extensions, and he had spent yesterday buying new equipment and someone had leant him a vehicle so that a new extension project could start on schedule yesterday.

PS Autos owner Paul Singleton said everything other than a few tools had been destroyed at the garage, including the ramp and compressors, and he estimated the total cost might come to about £20,000.

He said he had now taken a vacant unit nearby so he could re-open for business today, with the aim of eventually moving back to his old unit. "It's devastating but you just have to crack on," he said.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said today that the fire, which also damaged props and sets belonging to the Rowntree Players theatre company, was believed to have been caused accidentally, although an investigation was still continuing.