ARSONISTS are suspected of starting a blaze that ripped through a Hampshire Animal Rescue Centre, killing 20 rescued animals.

Four South American chinchillas, three rabbits, two kittens, a cat, one rat, a budgie, and various hamsters and guinea pigs all died either as a direct result of the flames or from smoke inhalation.

Only a rat and a red-tailed boa snake could be carried to safety during the blaze at the Animal Rescue Centre in Shirley Road, Southampton.

The building was virtually destroyed in the blaze, which broke out late on Saturday night.

Today, manager John Harding, who has run the centre for three years, has offered a £1,000 reward for information leading to the identification of the people who started the blaze.

Mr Harding could barely contain his emotion as he was faced with the tragic sight of the carcasses of the animals, including two dead kittens and a cat.

"How could anyone do this? I'm very distraught to say the least," he said.

"Give me the people who did this. They will not beat me. I love my job with the animals and can't give it up."

Yesterday, Mr Harding removed all the dead animals from the building and buried them at his home.

He is caring for the surviving rat at his home while the snake has been homed in a neighbouring computer shop.

A coatimundi raccoon is still on the rescue centre site because it can't be moved as it comes under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act.

Mr Harding added: "We can't move him, so keeping him secure is my main worry at the moment."

Police and fire service crews were called to the rescue centre late on Saturday night when two people managed to flag down a passing fire engine after spotting smoke billowing from the centre's shop front.

Two appliances from Redbridge Hill fire station, two from St Mary's and a special equipment unit battled for an hour-and-a-half to control the blaze, which police are treating as suspicious.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said he returned home to see smoke coming from the front of the rescue centre and flames nearly 6ft high at the back where most of the animals had been kept.

Residents of four flats in the terraced building above the centre were safely evacuated but the animals were not so fortunate.

Although police were unable to estimate the cost of the damage it was expected to run into thousands of pounds.

Mr Harding, a qualified mechanical and electrical engineer from New Milton in the New Forest, had regularly taken in work experience and back-to-work volunteers at the centre, which cared for unwanted and abandoned pets.

One of the centre's trustees, Richard Charney from New Milton, said: "John had two treatment rooms and he regularly used to spend a lot of money on the animals bringing them back to health. He would only take a small donation once he had found a home for them and he has not been able to draw a salary in years.

"He ran the shop just to help fund the centre.

"Now he has got to bury nearly all of his animals."

DC Tim Plummer of Shirley CID said police had not yet been able to identify an exact cause of the fire but they were treating it as suspicious.

"We would ask anyone with information to come forward, especially the two people who flagged down the passing fire engine in Shirley Road," he said.

Anyone with information should contact DC Plummer on 0845 045 4545 or Mr Harding on 07909 594737.