Break in blow won't stop me, vows young entrepreneur

Lynette HorsburghNorth West
Family photograph Uzair Khan with black hair and beard wearing a black suit and tie with a silver chain necklace.Family photograph
Uzair Khan said seeing the state of his shop after the break in was really upsetting

A young takeaway owner has said a devastating break in at his premises will not stop him pursuing his dream.

Uzair Khan was 19 when he set up Burger Inc in Leyland, Lancashire, ten months ago.

He said he was heartbroken when he discovered his shop had been broken into in the early hours of Sunday morning. Khan said the glass in his shop door was smashed, cash was stolen and wires and bags were strewn everywhere.

"I have made so many sacrifices for my business - it's my everything. Watching the footage back is something I wouldn't wish on anyone." However, he said he had been overwhelmed by the support he has since received and vowed to "bounce back stronger".

Khan, who lives in Blackburn, said he stayed late after closing to do a regular deep clean and was so tired that he left cash on the premises.

He described his shock when he arrived at the shop to open up on Sunday afternoon and said it was the "emotional hit" of seeing the state of it which upset him most.

"You work day in and day out trying to build something from nothing, putting everything you have into it, and in a matter of minutes someone can come along and try to tear that down," the 20-year-old said.

Burger Inc Front door of a takeaway with the bottom pane of glass smashed after a break in. Broken glass is seen on the floor of the premises near the front door. Burger Inc
Uzair Khan said he was shocked when he arrived to open up on Sunday and saw his shop had been broken into

Despite the setback, he said he was blown away by the response from the community including offers of fitting a new window.

"It has shown me how many good people are out there, and that outweighs the negative," he said.

"People in Leyland are absolutely lovely and that's why I got into business here."

While it had been a blow - and also resulted in him having to close on Sunday - he said it "won't stop me" and he would invest in more security.

He said: "If anything, it's made me even more determined to keep pushing forward and building what I started."

Lancashire Police said it had investigated the incident but it had now been closed pending any further investigative opportunities becoming available.

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