A LANDLORD has spoken of her shock at returning from a night out to find her pub had been ransacked and thousands of pounds stolen.

Hazel Jones saw a side door had been forced off and heard the alarm going as her taxi pulled up to the Acre Gate Hotel, New Hall Lane, Preston, at around 2.30am on Sunday, November 18.

As she went inside she saw that the office, bar area and her bedroom had been ransacked by burglars looking for cash.

And they had found £3,395 by smashing game machines and breaking into the till.

Hazel, who has been at the Acre Gate for three months since moving from Bolton, said: "The side door was open. They had taken the locks off with a power drill.

"Everything was a tip. They had raided the bandits, the office and my bedroom. Everything was ransacked.

"This is the first time we've suffered anything like this.

"I have had trouble from young idiots, but nothing to this extent."

Detective superintendent Joe Kellet, of Preston CID, said the burglary took place after 12.45am when the pub was locked for the night.

He appealed for anyone in the area up to 2.30am to contact Preston CID on 209160