A café owner says he is "devastated" after his new business venture was set on fire by yobs in what he believes to be a "targeted attack".

Jesse Miller, who runs Francombs in Medway City Estate, discovered his mobile trailer alight a day before it was set to launch earlier this month.

The newly renovated trailer is stationed along Chaucer Close, and had been kitted out in thousands of pounds worth of equipment.

However, the day before it opened to the public, Jesse was called at around 10pm by his café manager.

She told him that emergency services had been sent to the estate and believed the burger wagon was alight.

“I saw all the fire engines there and you know, your heart just sinks," he said.

“We were so excited, the staff had received their new uniform and everything.

“They turned up on-site Saturday morning and wondered what was going on.

“It’s devastating really, because we spent so much time doing it up.”

At the scene he was told by firefighters they thought the fridge had overheated.

Looking back at the CCTV, Jesse says he noticed two people on a moped with yellow wheels.

The passenger gets off and pours “some sort of accelerant down the back of the vent where the fridge was and sets light to it”.

They then both drive away.

A spokesman from the fire service said: "Two fire engines attended and crews extinguished the flames using hose reel jets.

"No injuries were reported. It’s believed the fire was started deliberately."

Police have also confirmed the fire is being treated as suspicious and enquiries are ongoing.

"You think about being broken into and all the relevant security for that," Jesse said. "I never, ever thought someone would set it alight.

“It’s absolutely gutted inside. It had an ice cream machine – which costs £6,500 – a slush puppie machine, an oven, a coffee machine and bain-marie.

'I never, ever thought someone would set it alight...'

“All brand new. We are talking £20,000 worth of damage I think.”

Jesse bought the business off of the previous owners nearly two years ago, after the company went into liquidation.

He currently runs the main shop, located in Rochester Court, as well as the portable trailer, set up in Chaucer Close.

“We wanted to target the builders and lorry drivers that are passing," Jesse explained. "There wasn’t really anywhere they could go to get something to eat that was quick.

“It’s convenient because we have provided seven parking spaces for our customers as well.

“Someone was obviously out to keep us closed," he added. "It was definitely a targeted attack. Those kids weren’t just mucking about, they were paid to do it.”

The owner is now appealing for other businesses in the area to search their CCTV for Friday, April 7.

Jesse added: “I believe they would have left down Whitehall Road and Commissioners Road – that’s the only other way off the estate that wouldn’t have gone past McDonald’s.

“There’s too many cameras in the tunnel. It’s a process of elimination.”

Francombs plan to repair and renovate the trailer so they can launch again in around a months time.