POTENTIALLY lethal cyanide fumes were given off from burning lino and carpets during a major blaze in Milton Regis, near Sittingbourne, on Easter Monday.

Arsonists are suspected of causing the fire which gutted The Discount Carpet Centre in the high street just before midnight.

The former car showroom had been a carpet and lino shop for three years and owner John Williams, of Eastchurch, Sheppey, said that business had just begun to take off.

Surveying the scene of devastation, he said: "I've lost all £140,000 of stock but fortunately the leased building was insured for £120,000. We will re-open somewhere but I do not know where at present.

"I am determined to find out who did this - and I know a lot of people around here. An industrial sized waste bin was found burnt out at the back of the building so this was likely to have been the source of the fire. The shop had last been open on Easter Saturday."

Leading firefighter Mark Innes said: "It was a very dangerous fire and it took us three quarters of an hour to bring under control. Lino and carpet backings give off cyanide fumes so we had to be extremely careful."

*People who have paid deposits for carpets are being asked to ring a special shop number, 01795 663383.