A fire at a tanning salon is being treated as arson.

Sussex Police say they are investigating a fire at the TanTastic tanning salon which broke out on Monday night.

A spokesman for the tanning salon in Broadwater Street West said on social media that staff were heartbroken by the incident.

He said: “As most of you know the TanTastic store was set on fire last night.

“Police are treating it as arson and our hearts are broken, not just for us, but the residents in the flat above us who have now lost everything and the surrounding businesses who have suffered smoke damage.

“The time and money that went into creating the store to give the best tanning experience for the people of Worthing, our amazing staff’s hard work and our fantastic customers has left us truly saddened that we can no longer open.”

The tanning salon also claimed that it was the third time they had been targeted since opening in August.

Sussex Police said they were called to the tanning shop in Broadwater in Worthing on Monday evening. Crews from West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service battled the blaze in the early hours of the morning as smoke billowed from the unit.

A spokesman for the force said they are investigating the incident as arson and enquiries are ongoing.

A spokesman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service added that 40 people were safely evacuated from the area surrounding the fire and that there were no casualties.

Ambulance crews from South East Coast Ambulance Service also attended.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police online, or by calling 101, quoting serial 1408 of 21/10.