A CARPENTRY business was burned to the ground and a man suffered burns to his head following a fire on an industrial estate.

Fire crews were called to Cougar Craft at Millpool Farm Industrial Estate, Hallow, after flames were seen "crackling out of the building."

A paramedic treated a man in his 70s, who had suffered burns to his head, but did not require hospital treatment.

The business is Unit 4 at the industrial estate and is owned and run by Mike Wilkins.

Julia Davis, a partner of next door’s Kinver Ceramics, said she heard “bangs” from inside the neighbouring unit before seeing the flames "crackling out of the building."

She described Mr Wilkins as a one-man band and said she believed all of his equipment and power tools had been wrecked.

“It’s wicked, he’s had a hard time,” she said. “The building is totalled.”

Mrs Davis said she left at around 4pm, on Wednesday, when firefighters were still "in mid-flow."

She was told that they had left the scene at around 6pm but returned later that evening.

A spokesman for Hereford and Worcester Fire Service said fire crews from Worcester, Droitwich, Malvern and Evesham were at the fire at just before 2.30pm.

He said the unit, which is 8x30m, contained highly combustible materials and was “well alight” when firefighters arrived.

The final crews did not leave the scene until around 10.15pm, he added.

A West Midlands Ambulance spokeswoman said one ambulance and a paramedic were sent to the scene at 3.15pm.

Mrs Davis, who has been based at the industrial estate since 1999, said Mr Wilkins had been working out of the unit for some time longer.

She said: “He came in here to suggest we move our cars and told us there was a fire.

“There was stuff in there going bang and popping off.”

She said she and her business partner were able to return to work on Thursday as normal, adding: “We were very lucky it hasn’t touched us. It’s just the smell and the sadness of it all.”

According to its website, Cougar Craft was established in 1985 and produces children’s furniture, display cabinets, dolls houses, garden furniture and models.