The boss of a barber shop destroyed just days before it was set to open says he is more determined than ever to make the business a success.

BestMan Barbers in Hythe High Street was left with its windows smashed in and frames knocked down after a car reportedly hit the front of the property.

The driver is said to have fled the scene and an estimated £10,000 worth of damage was caused.

Police have been investigating since the incident just after midnight on Monday, January 22, but no arrests have been made.

After two months of repairs being carried out, owner Berkan Yakit officially opened his business last week.

Mr Yakit told KentOnline he and his staff have “remained strong”.

“When the incident happened it was something that we did not expect to happen in Hythe,” he explained.

“It took us some time to come to terms with how bad people could be.

“But we are strong people and it has made us more determined to make the business a success.”

Mr Yakit, who lives in Ashford, described the past weeks as a “very long process” but has thanked people for their continued support.

He added: “Even though we have been unable to trade for two months we are still confident we can make this work. We are still in a good position financially.

“We have had a long process with police, councillors and the insurance company. But we are happy to say we have done the right thing throughout.

“Hythe is such a lovely place, with really great people and we look forward to working here.”

Mr Yakit says the official opening day last Thursday was a success, with Mayor of Hythe Cllr Anita Jones cutting the ribbon.

“We have had a lot of support from the public and this made everything easier for us,” he added.

“We want to continue to invest more in Hythe and help out the community.

“There is a financial crisis at the moment so we want to show our support to people.”

So far there have been no arrests and police continue to investigate the incident.

Anyone with information that could assist officers with their enquiries, including CCTV footage, should contact Kent Police on 01843 222289 quoting 46/11962/24.

You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.