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A charity project leader has told of his devastation after an arson attack at a warehouse destroyed much-needed aid for people in Syria.

Zaheer Iqbal is a volunteer for One Ummah, a charity set up “to help the less fortunate and to provide support in the places where our help is needed the most”.

The Islamic charity had been using the warehouse on Task Industrial Estate, on Task Road, Portrack, Stockton , to pack donations of clothing, blankets and food that were bound for Syria.

However the entire shipment of donations is feared to have been destroyed in an arson attack on the warehouse last night.

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Zaheer said: “It’s bad, it’s very bad.

“This is devastating news. We can’t get anywhere near the warehouse to check the damage yet because it’s being treated as a crime scene.

“We use the warehouse to pack food, blankets, pillows, tents and clothing for the people in Syria whose lives have been devastated.

“Where the fire started was where we were storing the blankets, pillows and tents.

“We think about 30% of the shipment has been destroyed by fire but the rest is probably severely smoke damaged.”

(Image: Incidents on Teesside and County Durham)

Cleveland Fire Brigade were called at 8.41pm yesterday to the blaze at the warehouse on the Task Industrial Estate in Portrack, Stockton.

Fire crews from Stockton, Middlesbrough, Thornaby, Grangetown and Yarm Fire Stations, a command and control unit and a hydraulic platform were sent to the scene.

Fire fighters used six hose reels, 16 breathing apparatus, ventilation equipment and thermal imaging to battle the flames which was out by 10.40pm.

However by that point the warehouse had been severely damaged by smoke, an office space was half-destroyed by fire and a warehouse space that was storing clothing was completely fire damaged.

Stockton Fire Station watch manager Stuart Simpson said: “The whole shipment has been destroyed - even the items that weren’t damaged by fire will have been totally smoke damaged.

“The building has been isolated by the gas and electricity boards.

“The incident is being treated as suspicious at this point.

“A joint fire and police investigation is taking place this morning.”

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman confirmed this morning that the blaze is being treated as arson.

(Image: Incidents on Teesside and County Durham)

One Ummah has been established for two years and has already sent containers of aid to Syria.

The charity also hit the news as a result of a soup kitchen they set up in Middlesbrough in association with Amigos Pizzeria.

Zaheer said: “For us it’s just something that’s happened - we’re not going to give up.

“The people of Syria need this aid - they have nothing, no water or anything.

“This is going to make us stronger and more determined as a community.

“We’re not going to bow down to any malicious people who are going to do this.”

To donate to One Ummah visit this website .