FIVE teenagers have appeared in court charged with wounding after a couple were beaten unconscious in a skate park in the early hours of Saturday.

The 21-year-old man and his 20 year-old girlfriend, found in the skate park, in Stubby Lee Park, Rossendale, were so badly beaten police had difficulty establishing their sex.

Police said the couple may have been attacked around 1am on Saturday (August 11) because they wore gothic clothing'.

Five male youths, aged 15 to 17 from the Rossendale Valley, appeared before Burnley magistrates' youth court on Monday charged with section 18 wounding.

Two 15-year-olds were remanded into secure custody and a 15-year-old, 16-year-old and 17-year-old were all released on conditional bail.

They will all appear before Burnley's youth court on August 20.

The couple, who remain unconscious in specialist care units in hospitals in Manchester, were left with with serious head injuries and swollen faces.

Any one with information should contact Burnley CID on 01282 472144, the control room on 01282 4721360 or Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.