THE OWNER of a Great Harwood scrap yard has appeared before Blackburn magistrates charged in connection with a disturbance at a service station in May.

The court heard the incident involved rival travelling families and weapons, including baseball bats, hammers, swords and axes were used.

Tommy Smith, 41, of Meadow Street, Great Harwood, was charged with violent disorder as a result of the incident at Markham Moor services on the A1 in Nottinghamshire.

He also faces three charges of conspiring to receive stolen vehicles, three charges of money laundering, all between 2015 and 2018, theft of aluminium Trakway worth £126,900 belonging to Live Trakway and two charges of assault relating to his arrest on Wednesday.

The court heard Smith is due to appear before Burnley Crown Court on November 9 on a denied firearm charge and he was remanded in custody on the new matters until that date.