SOUTH OXON FIRES: Funeral directors devastated by blaze - but say it's 'business as usual'

The Howard Chadwick Funeral Service in Benson Lane went up after 3.20am.

Staff at the funeral parlour believed a gas canister had been thrown through the front window, followed by a lit match.

Co-owner of the funeral home Howard Chadwick said: “I’m devastated by this, I can’t think why someone would do this.

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Mr Chadwick’s wife Sandra said: “Howard built this business from the ground up, it’s our livelihood.

“We’d like to reassure all of the families that it is business as usual and no remains were harmed in the fire.”

Another co-owner, Mr Chadwick’s nephew Alistair Cox said: “They probably thought the home was a gatehouse to the council.”

Undertaker 37-year-old Ryan Morris said: “We’re lucky that no-one was hurt.”

Howard Chadwick Funeral Service was originally founded in 1991.

The family firm moved into its Benson Lane premises, which was purpose-built and designed by the company, in 2008.

Other South Oxfordshire arson attack stories

• Man in custody after arson attacks on councils building, funeral parlour and cottage 
• Witness: I was staggered to capture the fire on video  
• Eighty-year-old woman managed to flee from the cottage fire 
• Numbers to call as authority recovers
• History of the council building

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