FOUR landlords are being investigated after their foreign satellite equipment, used to show live Premiership matches, was seized during raids.

Police and trading standards raided the Hordens, Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn, The Dog Inn, Revidge Road, Blackburn, George Hotel, Blackburn Road, Darwen, and the Victoria Hotel, Sudell Road, Darwen.

They were the first raids of their type in the borough and come after police and Arab Radio and Television (AR TV) Network wrote to landlords in August warning that broadcasting their channel in this country was illegal.

The Premier League said their agents, Media Protection Services, were examining evidence to decide whether to prosecute.

But landlords said they felt they had done nothing wrong.

Earlier this year Blackburn Rovers said pubs showing matches while they were playing was affecting crowds.

Tom Finn, managing director of Rovers, said: "This has been an issue of real concern to use for some time and this recent move by the Premier League involving the police and trading standards has our full support."

The FA Premier League has an exclusive deal with Sky television to screen live games in Britain. But it also signs up to deals allowing foreign stations to show games, but only in their countries.

Prosecutions rely on proving the landlord acted dishonestly - but some pubs elsewhere in the UK have avoided conviction because they said they were unaware the practice was illegal.

But Paul Booth, landlord of the Hordens, said: "I bought the system honestly from a legal trading company in Blackburn. I felt that I was acting within the law." Tracey Ashworth, landlady of the Dog Inn, said: "I think it is appalling. We have done absolutely nothing wrong."

Emma Whittaker, landlady of the Victoria, said she had spoken to her solicitor and planned to fight the case. "I have never been warned, I didn't think it was illegal."

Victor Brooks, landlord of the George, added: "It must be a grey area because I bought the equipment legally."