The rioters had no idea of their impact. Why did they do this to us?

An employee of a fancy dress shop in Clapham Junction destroyed by fire during last week's riots said her life had been "shattered" after losing her job.

Kate Quate, 22, was "ecstatic" when she began at Party Superstore this year after almost giving up her dream of becoming a costume designer.

But the burnt-out fancy dress shop, which employed more than 20 people, has now become a symbol of the damage inflicted by rioters last Monday night.

Devastated Miss Quate said: "It's so difficult to get your foot in the door and this was my big break. I was ecstatic. Now I am at the bottom of the pile again."

Miss Quate studied theatre costume for two years and moved to London from Glasgow to pursue her passion. Shop owner Duncan Mundell called her on Friday to say they no longer had any work for her.

Miss Quate added: "I was one of six people they took on recently, so it was easy to let me go. I'm shattered. The rioters can't have any idea what they were doing to other people, or the impact they would have.

"Why did they do this to us?"