Businessman forced to hide as gang armed with machetes, bats and knives rampage through store

The hooded-gang burst into Vine Mill in Oswaldtwistle at 4.30am yesterday as the owner John Paxton worked in his office.

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Hearing the alarm sound and a loud bang, the sofa store owner went to investigate and stumbled across the intruders, who were using torches, to make their way around the store.

Retreating to his office, Mr Paxton hid and called the police for help.

When officers arrived they discovered neighbouring store Brand Interiors had also been targeted with both stock and TVs taken.

The attacks have been described as 'worryingly organised' by community leaders.

Mr Paxton, who was working late after returning from a trip to Asia, said: "I heard a loud bang from downstairs and went to see what it was.

"I saw around a dozen people downstairs with flashlights running around the place.

"I got out of the way as quickly as I could and I called the police.

"I was on the phone for around 10minutes before they came, but in that short amount of time the men had turned the office upside down and had started dragging a safe out of the room.

"It was then that the police burst in but the men ran away.

"It's too early to say how much damage has been done but we are still open as normal."

During the raids the brazen gang also broke into a van and a small lorry parked outside the premises in Brookside Street, in what police said was an attempt to steal their radios.

Mark Gerrard, regional manager at Vine Mill, said the attack came just weeks after £250,000 of stock was damaged in the Boxing Day floods.

He said: "It must have been very scary to have been there at the time.

"It's horrible really and it seems that they had it all planned it.

"They clearly knew what they were doing.

"I came into work to see my office upside down. They had gone through all of my stuff.

"We were flooded quite badly on Boxing Day and this is just yet another thing for us to deal with."

Among the things stolen from the two businesses was a monitor lizard, named 'Eddie Lizard'.

Neil Stewart, the reptile's owner and Vine Mills sales manager for the Midlands, said the pet had been grabbed after his tank was smashed.

He said: "I'm really worried because he has to be strictly kept at 35C.

"I don't understand why anyone would want to steal him and I hope someone finds him soon."

The gang prized their way into Brand Interiors with a crowbar, police said.

Andrew Blackburn, from the store, said: "Most of the staff have only been here since January 4.

"They took some stock, office supplies and some TVs.

"They even stole a small vehicle to ferry the heavy boxes across the car park."

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said the fact the gang was armed was worrying.

He said: "These people seemed to have known what they wanted and were prepared to use a considerable amount of violence to get what they wanted.

"It appears to be an organised crime which is worrying.

"I hope that people will continue to be vigilant and use CCTV to help the police track these types of people down.

"In this case no sentence could be too long."

A Lancashire police spokesman said: "We were called to the scene at 4.45am after receiving a report of a group of men armed with machetes, bats and knifes.

"Patrols attended but the men had gone.

"A safe had been moved but had not been taken from the building.

"A search was undertaken for the men but they have not yet been found.

"I urge anyone with information to call police on 101."