A CALDICOT catering firm boss spent half of his wedding fund on a burger van only to see it go up in smoke.

Lee Milne, 31, was on a friend's stag-do on Saturday when he received a call around 9pm to say the van on Severn Bridge Industrial Estate was on fire.

He rushed to the scene, only to find the £5,500 van he bought on Gumtree completely burnt out.

£500 worth of burgers, breakfast ingredients, chocolate, chewing gum and other stock had also perished.

The fire came less than a week after he started serving customers, including lorry divers who use the industrial estate, the previous Monday.

"I am pretty gutted," Mr Milne told the Argus.

"It took off and it was a brilliant first week. I have tried to do something good and it's been ruined."

The fire, which is being probed by police, caused extra stress for Mr Milne, as he was saving for his wedding to fiance Charlene at the Celtic Manor.

The day before they were due to put the deposit down the couple found out she was pregnant and they put the plans on hold.

So Mr Milne invested half of the wedding fund, along with last year's profits from his cafe and outside catering firm over the past year, in the van.

His business, which he runs elsewhere on the industrial estate, is called Silver Spoon Bespoke Catering.

"My partner is very upset. It just doesn't make sense," added Mr Milne.

Gwent Police are asking people with information to call 101.