A DRUGS feud which saw a rival gang 'consolidate their power' by shooting at a house in Burnley has seen members of the criminal network jailed for more than 60 years.

Detectives said the investigation into the group began after a firearm was discharged in Stroyan Street, Burnley, on March 4.

The incident was linked to an organised crime gang based in Leigh, who travelled daily to deal drugs in Burnley but were in dispute with a rival Burnley gang.

The group had been dealing heroin, cocaine and cannabis under the name ‘TJ’ or ‘Tony’ which had been corroborated by during the initial arrest of Aaron MacFadden and Lisa Rigby on February 6.

The pair were arrested in the Colne Road, Burnley, in possession of heroin, and crack cocaine with a street value of £300 and £925 cash.

‘Tony’ calling cards – business cards containing their contact details for drug customers - and mobile phones were also recovered.

On March 6, armed officers arrested Micheal Siddeley, MacFadden and Riley after stopping and searching a Peugeot Boxer van, hired by Darren Charnock, on Moorland Road, Burnley. They found three individual deals of heroin, 39 individual deals of crack cocaine, 1.74g of cocaine, which all had a street value of £1,250. A number of mobile phones were also found hidden inside the van and Riley was in possession of £1,000 in cash.

A search at MacFadden’s home in Chatham Street, Leigh, revealed a haul of 20 bags of cocaine, valued at £400, which were destined to be sold on.

Searches at Darren Charnock’s property, which he shared with Robyn Anderton, on Palace Grove, Leigh, revealed £5,110 worth of heroin, 75g of cannabis with a street value of £300, four packages of crack cocaine worth around £80, along with weighing scales containing traces of cocaine and cannabis.

At that point, Lancashire officers teamed up with their counterparts at Greater Manchester Police under the name ‘Operation Mackay’ to dismantle the gang and their supply.

Further arrests and seizures took place on March 13 when officers raided a property Richmond Drive, Leigh where Jon Woods resided. Large quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine were found along with just under a kilogram of a mixing agent. As a result of that the remaining seven co-defendants were arrested.

At a hearing at Preston Crown Court, Michael Siddeley, 24, of Littleton Close, Warrington, was given nine years and four months imprisonment.

Darren Charnock, 28 of Palace Grove, Leigh, was sentenced to seven years and two months.

Callum Riley, 18, of Kensington Drive, Leigh, was handed seven years imprisonment.

Jamie Crompton, 21, of Ainsworth Lane, Bolton, was jailed for seven years.

Robyn Anderton, 23, of Palace Grove, Leigh, was sentenced to five years, seven months.

Charlie Boyle, 19, of Carisbrooke Road, Leigh, was given five years and seven months.

Kieran Siddeley, 19, of Warrington Road, Leigh was jailed for five years, four months.

Aaron MacFadden, 25, of Chatham Street, Leigh, was sentenced to five years and four months.

Lisa Rigby, 37, of Cunliffe Street, Leigh, was given five years.

Alex Hall, 29, of Carswell Close, Leigh, was jailed for four years.

Hayden Ashcroft, 21, of Corronation Drive, Leigh, was sentenced to four years.

Luke Briggs, 18, of Hendon Street, Leigh, was given three years.

A 17 year old boy from Leigh was handed a 12-month youth referral order.

Jon Woods, 31, of Richmond Drive, Leigh, was given an eight month sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Andrew Osbaldeston said: “I am pleased with the result which shows that those who think they can travel into Lancashire to deal drugs will be caught and brought before the courts.

“I am satisfied that these people, who caused significant problems in Burnley dealing drugs over a five month period between October 2016 and March 2017, have now been removed from our streets and I ask the public for their continued support in reporting information so that we can keep our neighbourhoods safe and try to prevent organised crime gangs from operating."