The inside of Nicky's Cafe, in Union Road, was completely gutted in the fire which ripped through the building in the early hours of Monday morning.

The owners, who did not want to be named for fear of a similar attack on their home, said that although more than half of the building had been destroyed, they would do their best to re-open.

"We are upset that not only has our business gone, but the girls who worked for us are now out of work," they said.

"We can't believe someone has come and done this to us."

Crews from Cleckheaton and Batley were called out to the blaze at 3.45am on Monday and it took them nearly four hours to bring it under control.

"The cafe and the kitchen have been gutted," said the owners.

"We bought it two years ago and completely turned it around. We put a new floor in there and started re-decorating it. It wasn't even finished.

"We don't know when we'll be able to re-open. It'll be a big job to get it open again. We'll have to wait and see what the insurance company says.

"It's a shame because we'd built the place up and we had a lot of custom. We made it really comfy and homely. It was really popular.

"We did a good deal for people and who ever did this has ruined that."

Police sealed off the area around the cafe on Monday morning while they conducted their enquiries.

A fire investigation team was also sent in to search for clues.

A police spokesman said: "An investigation into the cause of the fire is on going and detectives are making enquiries to establish the full circumstances.

"The fire is being treated as a targeted arson attack and anyone with information should contact Dewsbury CID on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111."