Members of classic rock band Whitesnake will make a special guest appearance to celebrate the re-opening of a music store destroyed during the August Riots.

Rockbottom Music was one of the worst affected businesses in the Croydon riots with the London Road store being completed gutted by fire.

More than seven months on the store is ready to reopen and welcomes members from hit rock band Whitesnake for a record signing session to celebrate.

Carl Nielsen, who has run the store for 30 years, said: "I'm really pleased they are taking the time to support the store."

The reopening of the store itself has been setback to April though after Mr Nielsen’s offices, under the neighbouring grocery store, were flooded on Saturday.

All his computers and large quantities of stock were destroyed or damaged.

He said: "It never rains it pours – you could say we are still rock bottom. We’ll still hold the Whitensnake event but the actually opening will have to be postponed a few weeks."

Visiting the store will be Doug Aldrich, who joined the band in 2002, bassist Michael Devin and drummer Brian Tichy.

The trio will be at Rockbottom from 5.30pm on Wednesday March 28 before performing a one-off gig at Fairfield Halls, Arnhem Gallery from 9.30pm tickets £12.