Bolton firm rises from the ashes after suspected arson attack

A FIREproof storage room protected the vast majority of a Bolton private client firm's documents from going up in smoke after it fell victim to a suspected arson attack.

The 120-year-old offices of the two-partner firm Hulton Bailey were completely gutted in the fire on 25 January and it has been forced to relocate to new premises.

The fire is being treated by the fire brigade as suspected arson.

It took the practice one week to set itself up in its new home, and partner Linda Dyer said it was proud of the achievement.

She added that Hulton Bailey was confident that if the fire was the result of an arson attack, the firm had been chosen at random and had not been carried out as a result of a grudge. "We are not a criminal practice, we are a private client asset management firm," she said.