THE owner of a New Forest garage that was engulfed in flames has praised his staff and the community for their reaction as those responsible for the fire remain at large.

In July, Hythe Garage was reduced to ruin after seven years in business, with flames billowing out of the building in Prospect Place.

An arson probe was launched by police as they try to hunt down the people who started the inferno.

More than 50 firefighters had to battle the blaze that happened just after 5.30am on July 9 that had forced the independent vehicle repair firm to cancel its work throughout the week.

Despite the blaze, the company set up shop next door to its old building, and owner Nathan Painter, who built the businesses up, has praised his staff for getting on with their work.

Nathan said: “We’re just cracking on with our work, we have to make the most of what we can and our staff have been brilliant.

“Business is going very well, and we just want to get on now; everyone around here knows that.”

An arson investigation was launched after Hampshire Fire and Rescue determined the cause of the fire as ‘deliberate or suspicious’, and in the weeks after the fire, CCTV of three men near the building at the time was released by police.

When asked by the Daily Echo, police didn’t confirm whether the men had been located, but did say that no arrests had been made since the start of the investigation.

Despite the months that have since passed, Mr Painter said he didn’t have any contact with police, and that the investigation isn’t something he gives a lot of thought to.

He said: “I don’t think about it, I know nothing of the investigation.

“We just want to carry on giving the best service we can, the community was fantastic after it happened so we want to continue our work.

“We don’t want to keep thinking about the police and what they’re doing, just carry on as normal as we can.”

Residents of the town turned to social media in the days and weeks after the fire, voicing their support and offering tools and other goodwill gestures.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue confirmed that their investigation found the cause to be deliberate or suspicious.

They then handed over the probe to the police, who confirmed that no arrests have since been made.