A NEWPORT bus company owner is devastated after his business was destroyed in a suspected arson attack.

Police are investigating the huge blaze, which gutted three coaches and damaged three others at Red Dragon Travel on Telford Road, Maindee, in the early hours of Sunday.

Now owner Alan Smith faces a massive bill to rebuild the company he started from scratch over 30 years ago.

Mr Smith, aged 63, of Beaufort Road, Newport, said: "I'm too numb, too shocked to know how to feel about it. I just can't believe it."

Gwent Police Inspector Geoff Evans said the fire was being treated as suspicious. "Police are making inquiries but it certainly seems at this point that it was started deliberately," he said.

The attack happened at around 1am on Sunday. Two fire engines attended the blaze, which was extinguished within half an hour. No-one was hurt.

Mr Smith estimated that the blaze caused over £20,000 worth of damage, but won't know for sure until insurance inspectors have visited the premises.

He said: "I think I will only realise how bad it really is when the insurance company come down and tell me how much damage has been caused. Then the reality will sink in."

Three coaches parked outside the premises were completely gutted, and another was badly damaged. Two buses inside the warehouse were damaged by smoke.

Mr Smith started Red Dragon Travel in 1969. The company currently employs three drivers, and runs private trips as well as regular school services between Langstone and Hartridge school, and a service from Cleppa Park Lloyds TSB to Newport city centre. Mr Smith said he will try to rearrange the school services with another company, but has had to cancel a trip to the Forest of Dean today for his vintage 1960 open top bus, which was due to take part in a fun weekend but has been too badly damaged by smoke.

Mr Smith said: "I have built this company up single handed over the last thirty years and to have it destroyed overnight is particularly hard to accept.

"What's in the minds of people to do something like this? I've lost almost everything." The smell of the fire was still in the air around Telford Road, two days after the blaze.

Neighbour Barbara Evans, 64, said: "It's a really horrible smell. I've kept all my windows and doors closed because it's stinking the house out. What worried me was the petrol in the buses could have caused them to explode. The flames were really high."

* Pictured: Alan Smith, owner of Red Dragon Travel, Newport, where three coaches were gutted and three others damaged