A fire which caused a Shropshire chip shop to explode could have been started deliberately, detectives revealed today  – exactly four weeks after the blaze.

Broseley Chippy in Broseley was reduced to a pile of rubble after a fire ripped through the building, causing a huge explosion.

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Police and fire investigators have been working to try to find out how the blaze at the shop in the High Street started but the cause had remained a mystery.

Detectives have today appealed for any witnesses who may have seen anything suspicious in the area on the night of the explosion to contact them.

Maria Hawkaluk, spokeswoman for West Mercia Police, today said: “Investigations continue and at this stage detectives have not ruled out the possibility that the fire could have been started deliberately.”

Detective Constable Lee Holehouse, of Shrewsbury police, added that police were still awaiting results of tests on forensics taken from the scene which were expected to take “some time”.

“We are still keen to hear from anybody who might have seen or heard suspicious persons or vehicles in the area of the chip shop during that night,” he said.

“Anybody with information is urged to contact police on 0300 333 3000 or if you have information but do not want to identified should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where the operator will not even ask for your name and a reward is sometimes offered.”

Residents thought a bomb had exploded or an earthquake had hit the town when the explosion shattered doors and windows and sent debris flying up to 60 feet away.

Owner Parmajit Sandhu, of The Rock, Telford, was in India at the time of the blaze on February 19.