A GREENOCK businesswoman faces a massive repair bill after ‘lowlife’ thieves stripped lead from the roof of her building.

Pam Durk, who owns Ardgowan Health and Beauty Clinic in Brisbane Street, had to order thousands of pounds worth of emergency repairs following the attack on her premises.

In addition to the financial cost Pam says the distressing episode has left her ‘really upset’.

She said: “This small business is part of me — this is my baby.

“Also the girls who work here are all part of that.

“Fortunately we realised what had happened before the water came flooding in.”

Pam said her beauty clinic was targeted in the early hours of Monday morning.

She added: “A person or persons stripped all of the lead of my lovely shop’s guttering and started on the laundrette next door too. 

“They damaged most of my external lights, broke my sign in various places, marked the newly painted external walls and left my shop open to the elements, with the worst storm in years predicted that night. 

“A builder and a roofer spent all day at short notice making the roof watertight for the storm. 

“I am so grateful for their help and support.”

Pam fears this is not the first time that the thieves have targeted her clinic.

She added: “Earlier this month my brother had been doing a bit of painting for me outside and he noticed a few marks on the wall.

“We didn’t think anything about it at the time but now I think they’d been here before returning.”

Pam says the theft will have a big financial impact.

She said: “It’s going to cost me thousands in repairs and my insurance premiums are going to go up.

“It’s the time too — I’m so busy at this time of year, it’s the most important quarter. There’s so many layers when you look at the impact this has caused.”

Pam says the theft also ruined a planned holiday with her kids.

She said: “My children were off school so I had taken the day off to spend with them after a particularly busy weekend, and I ended up spending it in the shop while I spoke to the police, builders and insurance.”

Pam is keen to point out that she will not be replacing the lead on her property, so the thieves will be wasting their time if they are planning a return.

She added: “I’m speaking out because I want to stop it from happening to someone else.”

Pam thanked everyone for their messages of support and those who have helped her out following the theft.

Anyone with information about the lead theft is asked to phone Greenock police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.