A fire has destroyed a warehouse belonging to Aardman Animations, the company behind the 'Wallace & Gromit' and 'Morph' cartoons.
The roof of the building, which housed the company's sets and props, collapsed in the blaze. A spokesperson has said that the company's entire history was lost in the fire.
Sets from the 'Wallace & Gromit' shorts 'A Grand Day Out', 'The Wrong Trousers' and 'A Close Shave', as well as those from 'Chicken Run', Aardman's first feature film, are thought to have been destroyed.
News of the fire comes on the day that Aardman's new film 'Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit' has topped the US box office.
'Wallace & Gromit' creator Nick Park has said the fire was no big deal compared to the tragedy of the earthquake in Pakistan. "Even though it is a precious and nostalgic collection and valuable to the company, in light of other tragedies, today isn't a big deal," he said.
'Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit' opens in Ireland on Friday.
