A dockside firm where a student died had no security staff when it was devastated by an arson attack.

Euromin Ltd was the only company at Shoreham harbour not patrolled by security guards.

It was targeted by arsonists last Friday when more than 100 firefighters fought a blaze at the site where Simon Jones's head was crushed on his first day working for the firm in 1998.

The company was later fined £50,000 with £20,000 costs for breaching health and safety regulations.

Simon's mother Anne Jones said her "jaw dropped" when she heard about the lack of security.

She said: "It leaves many, many questions to be answered.

"If there is absolutely no security and anybody can wander in, it begs the question of how much they are protecting local people from themselves?

"Euromin seems to keep the absolute minimum number of staff.

"They were three people short for unloading the ship on the day Simon died.

"That's why he was sent and they used two crew from the ship."

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton said: "I have already tabled questions about fire safety in the whole of the harbour in the wake of the fire.

"I did not realise Euromin's security arrangements and it is definitely something to be looked at.

"I will write to the company to see what it is doing about it, particularly given the number of firefighters that attended."

Brian Tatterton, chief executive of Shoreham Port Authority, said all harbour businesses, apart from Euromin, were monitored by a security company.

He said: "We have a roving security firm right through the night that looks after all the Port Authority property. We also have a 24-hour port controller who reported the fire.

"Euromin owns its bit of wharf and it's the only company that operates like this in its own right.

Detectives are still investigating the blaze, which needed 20 fire crews to fight it.

DC Julie Greenwood who is leading the police investigation, said: "As far as I am aware, they do not have any security staff at all. Full stop.

"We are still treating the fire as suspicious because of the reports we have had from the scientific evidence."

Forensic experts confirmed the fire appeared to have started in more than one place.

A spokesman for the Simon Jones Memorial Campaign, which successfully pressed for Euromin's prosecution over the death of 24-year-old Simon, said he hoped the investigation into the blaze would be swift.

Euromin and boss Richard Martell were cleared in court of Simon's manslaughter.

Police inquiries are continuing into the fire and officers again appealed for witnesses to come forward.

In particular, they are keen to trace a man seen nearby shortly before the blaze was discovered at 9.45pm.

He was described as 25 to 35, 5ft 9in and of medium build. He had blond, curly or wavy collar-length hair and was wearing a beige jacket and jeans.

Euromin refused to comment.