THE arrests of five men and a teenage boy in connection with the ransacking of a Blackburn brewery has been welcomed by business leaders.

The men, aged between 21 and 43, and the 16-year-old boy, were arrested as part of a month-long investigation into the illegal occupation and burglary of Thwaites brewery over the second May bank holiday weekend.

Police were criticised for their initial handling of the situation, with around 100 travellers allowed to leave the site without any arrests being made.

But a spokesman for Thwaites said they are pleased with the progress being made. They said: “Where people have committed criminal acts, it’s of paramount importance that the police ensure those responsible are held accountable for their actions.

“We are pleased that the police have made progress with their investigation and made these arrests. We hope it will lead to prosecutions.”

Blackburn with Darwen regeneration boss Cllr Phil Riley said: “From everybody’s perspective this has to be a good thing. People should not simply be able to turn up, cause the damage and destruction they did and simply walk away.”