The Only Way Is Essex's Lauren Goodger was all smiles as she opened her new shop yesterday. Little did she know what was just around the corner...

Just hours after the grand opening, she was left "devastated" after her new tanning salon was attacked by vandals.

The shop - named Lauren's Way after her line of self-tan products - reportedly had 'petrol bombs' thrown at it, leaving its front windows smashed.

Lauren - who recently bought the shop from fellow reality star Chantelle Houghton - has spoken of her sadness at the attack, telling us she "didn't deserve this just for being on a TV show".

"I am devastated that individuals could vandalise my new shop, I didn’t realise there were so many nasty and bitter people out there," she said.

"I’m just glad that no one was in the shop at the time as the attack could have been a lot worse.

"I feel awful for the people with young families who live in the flats above my business, nobody deserves this for just being on a TV show."

The attack on the beauty parlour in Buckhurst Hill in Essex, looked to have caused minimal damage, but police stood guard outside the shop last night with residents in the flats above evacuated.

Last night, the star was comforted by her TOWIE pals after she learnt of the attack, thanking fans for their tweets of support.

"Thanks for you're lovely messages tonight.. In bed with lydia and Georgia 3 in a bed won't be able to sleep tonight..#angelslookingover," she tweeted.

@LaurenGoodger
Lauren_TOWIE♥

Thanks for you're lovely messages tonight.. In bed with lydia and Georgia 3 in a bed won't be able to sleep tonight..#angelslookingover

February 16, 2012 2:17 am via UberSocial for BlackBerry Reply Retweet Favorite

Earlier in the day, some of her fellow cast mates turned out to support her new business venture.

Chloe Sims and Frankie Essex were all smiles for the cameras at the opening.

But despite the attack, Lauren can take comfort in the fact she has an unlikely fan in Kate Middleton.

The Duchess of Cambridge is reportedly a fan of The Only Way Is Essex with Lauren apparently being her favourite cast member.

When Kate visited Alder Hay Children's Hospital in Liverpool on Valentine's Day, she apparently told a worker about her guilty TV pleasure.

"She had us all laughing, saying she never misses an episode and that Lauren Goodger is her favourite," they told the Daily Star.

"Kate said she really hopes that Lauren doesn’t get back with Mark because he is not nice enough to her."

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