Pink party engine rises from ashes

A business destroyed by arsonists has risen like a phoenix from the ashes after months of hard work by its owner.

Tony Bishop, of Penkridge, was devastated when arsonists destroyed his fire engine party limousine.

The blaze, in November last year, ruined his Christmas trade and no one was ever brought to justice for the crime.

The converted fire engine, which is the key part of Mr Bishop's Hot Stuff Limos company, was completely gutted, with £10,000 of damage caused.

But despite the setback the 38-year-old, of Wolgarston Road, refused to give up and has sunk more than £6,000 into converting a new Volvo fire engine into the next hot stuff party vehicle.

The work has taken him more than two months and he admits it has been hard going and at one point he was tempted to wind the business up.

He said: "I still had customers booked in and I didn't want to let them down and so I thought I would carry on.

"It took a while to find the right kind of fire engine because there are not that many around. "The business really has risen from the ashes and the new engine has been painted pink to be a bit different and it can seat eight in the back."

The business is aimed primarily at ladies parties including hen nights and even prom nights for teenagers.

It has a top sound system, DVD and disco party lights and the vehicle has already been out on its first call last week.

He told the Express & Star: "It has been really hard, something like that makes you wonder if it's all worth it.

I had already built the business up and promoted it and now I have got to do it all again.

"The arson attack could easily have finished my business."

Despite it all Hot Stuff Limos is now back on the road and anyone interested in making a booking should visit www.hotstufflimos.co.uk