DISASTER recovery expert Alison Williams has sent her sympathies to the producers of the popular Wallace and Gromit films after their prop archive was destroyed by fire.

Ms Williams, chairman of FDS, part of the Whitstable-based Acceleron Group, knows how it feels. Its headquarters was destroyed by fire in 2003, also a victim of mindless vandalism and arson.

She said she empathised with Nick Park and his Aardman production team after their corporate history was wiped out in the destruction of a listed Bristol warehouse.

Mr Park reacted to the disaster by saying that there were worse tragedies in the world and in that context it was "no big deal".

She said: "I admire Nick Park’s stoicism, but the impact of an incident like this is devastating and can put people’s jobs at risk.

"I’m sure the vandals who attacked the warehouse had laughed at the antics of Wallace and Gromit - as we all have - but they have no idea of the effect they may have had on people’s livelihoods and that is no laughing matter.

"It is a frightening fact that 80 per cent of businesses affected by a major disaster like this go bust within 18 months."

Acceleron Group is hosting a series of free disaster recovery seminars across the county in conjunction with Kent County Council’s business continuity experts.

They are being held on Wednesday October 26 at Ashford Chamber of Commerce, Thursday 27, at John Wilson Business Park, Whitstable, and Friday 28 at County Hall, Maidstone.