TRADERS on George Lane have reacted with shock after a carpet shop on Woodford Green High Road was torched and a jewellers shop on George Lane was broken into and looted.

Many shut their doors early on Tuesday, and those who were staying open said they were worried about what might happen in the coming days.

Philip Mount of Churchills Estate agents said: “It’s scary. You don’t expect something like this to happen in a quiet suburban area like this.

“We’ve got TVs in the windows, so we are worried about what might happen.

“I hope what happened last night was the worst of it, but we need a bigger police presence to deal with this.”

At Touch of Class Dry Cleaners, Sami Kayani was preparing to close early.

He said: “I don’t feel safe. It’s been very quiet in the shop today.

“The police are trying really hard, but they can’t be here all the time.

“We are usually open until 6pm, but I will close at five so I can get home to my family.”

Down by South Woodford station, Natasha Andrew, who works at curtain shop L Posner, said the news that nearby shops had been broken into and set on fire was “terrifying”.

She said: “I can’t believe it’s happening.

“I was a bit wary coming in today.

“We don’t have shutters and will have to be on the lookout.

“This is all just too close to home.”

And in the Pizza Hut shop on George Lane, manager Remn Shoaib said the community needed to show support to the police.

He said: “I’m worried about the situation, but the police are working really hard.

“We just need to trust in them to put things right.”

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