A LANDLORD warned vandals ‘someone could have been killed’ after his pub was targeted twice in a week.

Craig Watson, the landlord of The Victoria Hotel, Accrington said the windows of his Manchester Road pub had been smashed by brick throwing yobs on two separate occasions.

He said the damage to the engraved glass windows had ‘hurt the pub’s characters’ and caused thousands of pounds of damage.

The first incident took place last Monday with vandals striking again on Thursday evening.

Mr Watson said people were in the pub during the second attack and there could have been serious consequences.

He said: “We were still open when they threw bricks at the kitchen, they could have killed somebody if someone was stood there.

“It has taken away a lot of the character of the pub, we can’t get engraved windows like that anymore.

“These vandals are putting people’s livelihoods at stake.

“I might be the landlord but the pub is all about the customers.

“We have a lot of unhappy and upset customers who want something doing about it.”

Some of the windows smashed included kitchen windows which had ‘The Victoria’ etched into them, and are no longer available to purchase.

More than £2,000 has been spent to replace the windows damaged in the first attack and repairs to the kitchen windows will take the cost to more than £3,000.

Mr Watson said he thinks he knows who is responsible for the ‘targeted’ attack but does not have the evidence required.

The 46-year-old has had the pub for nearly two years and said he has never had any problems previously.

Despite the damage the pub was able to open over the weekend for normal service.

Mr Watson said: “The customers have been brilliant, they’ve really helped pull together.

“I just hope something like this doesn’t happen again.”

The pub has now increased security including adding extra CCTV cameras.

Cllr Tony Dobson, who represents the area on Hyndburn Council, said he was disappointed by the incident.

He said: “It is very disappointing because that area is a very popular and community spirited part of Hyndburn.

“We need to start getting tougher on incidents like this.

“I’d call on the person doing this to stop, I do not understand why a person would do something like this.

“Sooner or later this person is going to be caught.”

A police spokesman said they had launched an investigation into the incident.

He said: "I urge anyone with information about the incidents or who is responsible to contact police on 101."