A charity has been handed a lifeline by supporters in Witney after arsonists struck at its town centre shop.

Sobell House Hospice Charity raises money for the hospice in Oxford which cares for hundreds of dying people a year, but feared it could lose up to £60,000 after the shop was gutted by the blaze last week.

The Langdale Court store was ravaged by fire and its roof severely damaged after arsonists set light to a bag of donated clothing left in its doorway. All of its stock went up in flames.

The fire spread within minutes to first-floor premises occupied by Gifford engineering consultancy and the neighbouring Figments store.

Both the Sobell shop and Figments have been closed since the blaze last Tuesday night. It is estimated to have caused about £100,000 worth of damage.

Police have been analysing CCTV footage from the area and yesterday renewed an appeal for anyone with information to come forward.

The Sobell shop is expected to have to stay shut until Christmas while repairs are carried out. The charity's chief executive, Richard Berry, feared it would lose up to £60,000 in profits - all of which go to Sobell House, in Headington.

But the charity has now been offered the use of premises in Corn Street - formerly occupied by Unwins off-licence - and could have a temporary shop up and running within the next week.

The store, which has been empty since December, is owned by Witney Town Charities, which hopes to offer it rent-free to the Sobell charity.

Louise Musgrove, Sobell charity's trading manager, said everyone at the charity was "over the moon" about the offer and by the generosity of Witney residents.

She said: "We've had so many people calling us after the fire last week and we're genuinely shocked by the generosity.

"We're particularly pleased for the 25 volunteers who help at the shop, who were affected a lot by the fire. It was devastating and we had real concerns about what would happen because all of the money goes to the hospice."

Ms Musgrove said the charity, which has six other shops elsewhere in the county, would open the temporary shop as soon as possible.

"What we really need is donated items now."

Witney mayor Chrissie Curry, who started searching for alternative properties the day after the fire happened, said: "I'm absolutely delighted this has been sorted out. It's shocking that the charity was left in this situation in the first place, but this goes to show the generosity of the Witney community."

David Stew, chairman of Witney Town Charities, said the group was checking with the Charity Commission that it was all right for the Corn Street shop to be offered at a peppercorn rent.

Anyone with items to donate can call 01865 857007.

* A 13-year-old boy was arrested yesterday in connection with the fire. He was later granted bail until the end of the month, pending further inquiries.