Family driven from their home by racist attacks

The final straw for the terrified Patels came on November 6 when their newsagent and home in Durand Close was attacked by arsonists. Shakuntal and Suresh's 20-year-old son was home alone at the time.

"I had been sitting upstairs watching TV," said Kirtan Patel. "It was about 9.30pm when I heard a big bang.

"It moved the sofa and the TV.

"I ran out to the front and the shutters downstairs were moving in and out, and then I just saw big flames. It was like an earthquake, and then I jumped from the balcony."

The fire gutted the newsagent, ruining thousands of pounds of stock and rendering their home uninhabitable.

In the past seven years the family have suffered ongoing racist abuse.

It is the latest racist incident in Carshalton in recent months.

In August, Deepshikha Sathyanarayanan said she was leaving the town because racists were making her life a living hell.

"We've had problems from the beginning," said the Patel's elder son Nish, 30. "It ranges from petty things like eggs being thrown at our windows, so we have to put curtains on the outside to protect them and then once they scrawled Paki go home' on mum's car.

"One of our workers was beaten up in the shop and he left. It's difficult to even keep staff.

"We called the police and while they were here someone petrol bombed my mum's brand new car, right outside the shop."

At the time police removed the family for their own safety, but Nish said he never thought it would get this bad.

"I couldn't believe it. I've told my parents not to come back. We are worried for their safety more than anyone else."

Mrs Patel said despite ploughing most of their money into the business she was intent on leaving Carshalton.

Chief Inspector Dave Gair from Sutton police said the incident was being treated as "critical", but that no arrests had been made.

Anyone with information can call Sutton CID on 020 8649 0777 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.