Shocking footage shows the moment a tanning salon was broken into and attacked with a sledgehammer.

Owners of TanTastic in Broadway Street said it had been hit by attacks twice before it went up in flames last week.

The business has been hit three times since it opened in August.

The salon has now shared footage of the first incident on September 30.

CCTV clips show thugs in balaclavas smashing the tanning beds with a sledgehammer before throwing bitumen paint over them.

TanTastic owner Peter Bills told The Argus: “One of our staff finished just after 9pm and the CCTV images showed someone attacking the key box and taking it off the wall.

Tantastic was also attacked a second time this monthTantastic was attacked a second time this month (Image: TanTastic)

“An hour later two lads came back. They smashed them up with a sledgehammer and threw paint over them.

“The business is destroyed now. We took it on the chin the first two times but now staff are losing money because they can’t work."

Peter, who helped to open the TanTastic business in August, said the business had also been attacked in the middle of October when its windows were smashed by what appeared to be a hammer.

Tantastic was hit by a fire last weekTanTastic was hit by a fire last week (Image: Eddie Mitchell)

Last week, a fire broke out at the salon, gutting the building and forcing 40 people to be evacuated from nearby buildings.

A man has since been arrested.

Peter said he had tried to support his staff by finding them work at local businesses and has been liaising with tenants of the flat above the tanning shop, which was also affected by the fire.

Sussex Police said they are investigating the October 21 incident as arson and are appealing for witnesses.

A 61-year-old man from Hampshire was arrested on Saturday morning on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger.

He has been released on conditional bail until January 24.

A spokesman for the force added: “An investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances of the fire.

“Witnesses or anyone with any information is asked to contact police online or call 101 quoting serial 1408 of 21/10.”

TanTastic said on social media that it was offering a £5,000 reward for information.