More than £1million worth of damage was suffered by two businesses during a devastating blaze in Hadleigh earlier this week.

And Graham Burchell, managing director of sister companies Challs International Ltd and Primo Manufacturing Ltd, said it would be at least a year before the companies can fully recover.

The fire broke out at around 5.50am on Tuesday in buildings occupied by the two businesses on Lady Lane Industrial Estate.

At its height the blaze was being tackled by seventy firefighters with smoke so acrid homeowners in the area were being told to keep their windows shut.

On Wednesday the task of assessing the destruction took place and Mr Burchell revealed how much the fire would cost the companies.

“We’re talking in excess of a million but how much in excess I don’t know,” he said. “There was stock inside the building and quite a lot of machinery.

“It will probably be about 18 months before we can get the building rebuilt. That’s what the insurance company is indicating.

“It will be demolished fairly quickly because it is unsafe.”

“Yesterday was all about dealing with the immediate situation. Today is a follow on from there and getting the business up and running again.”

Mr Burchell added the response from the fire service and other companies on the estate had been fantastic.

“We’ve had a lot of support from our local neighbours and we’re concerned for them too,” he said.

“People have really rallied round and are there to help us in any way they can.

“I’d really like to thank everyone for their support particularly the emergency services in getting the fire under control very quickly.

“It’s very comforting to know there’s that community right around the area.”

The next step for the companies is to deal with their insurance company and loss adjusters and try to get in new machinery, Mr Burchell said.

In the meantime he said staff would be working “in more cramped conditions” in their other buildings on the estate.