RAM-RAIDERS drove a car through the window of a cycle shop and stole £35,000 of mountain bikes.

Detectives said the gang smashed through the front windows and iron bars of the Ride-on store in Rawtenstall using a stolen Ford Focus estate car.

They got away with 10 bikes and left three on the street outside along with the smashed up car used to break into the Bacup Road shop.

Shop bosses estimate the stock was worth at least £35,000 with one bike alone worth nearly £6,000.

Officers said the gang, which included one armed man, fled in a Ford Transit van in the direction of Manchester.

The family-run shop has been in the town for 20 years and is run by former northern area BMX champion Craig Robertson.

Mr Robertson said he was woken up by an alert from the alarm system just after 1am.

He said: "We saw what looked like a crashed vehicle out on the main road, a police cordon and police cars. Some of the neighbours were out.

"The alarm company told us it was ram-raided.

"When we got here and saw the smashed car we thought the police had nabbed somebody and they hadn't got away.

"Then we saw the damage. The car had been used as a battering ram and they had another vehicle which they put the stock in."

The gang had hit it with some force sending debris flying through the shop and knocking a picture off the wall in the upstairs room.

"They used a substantial amount of brute force to get in," he said.

"They have targeted a line of suspension mountain bikes and a couple of electric bikes. It is all high value stuff. Three of them were custom made. It looks like they had a shopping list.

"The car they used was a right state. It was totally smashed up."

Mr Robertson, 49, from Ramsbottom, said a resident's car was parked in front of the store with the thieves smashing its window so they could move it out of the way to gain access to the shop.

"We have been here for nearly 21 years. It is not the best coming-of-age present.

"We have had attempts made in the past but nothing on this scale.

"It was a professional job. It is not opportunists. It is next level stuff and it seems the shop has been a target because of the high value goods."

He said the shop will be sharing pictures of the bikes stolen on its Facebook page and asking members of the cycling community to keep an eye on what is being sold.

Mr Robertson said:"It is frustrating. This is the busiest time of year.

"The weather is getting better, people are on a health kick and are bringing their bikes in to be fixed so it is a bit of a kick in the teeth."

The shop remained open yesterday with customers able to access it through the back entrance.

Praising the quick response of the police, Mr Robertson said the alarm system will be back on and security will be tighter than ever.

Shahzad Munir, who owns hairdressers Shaz's Impressions next door, said: "I am worried about it.

"My brother has a shop in Haslingden and that was recently targeted too.

"The problem is you cannot put shutters on the outside of the shop. If the window breaks that is £800. If you have shutters it is harder to get in and it takes longer so it is more likely someone will see you."

A resident who lives over the road said: "It is a shock. We're a community here and everybody helps each other out. It's great business. We don't want to see them go."

DS Charlie Haynes said: "We have already spoken to a number of witnesses, but are keen to hear from anybody else who saw it happen, particularly if they have filmed it on their mobile phones.

“These bikes are expensive and unique in appearance so please keep a look out for them.

The thieves are described as medium to stocky build and one of them was in possession of some sort of weapon, he said.

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 quoting log reference LC-20170428-0045.