A SWEET shop has been the target of burglars for the fourth time in just a year.

Sweet Treat Designs, in Accrington, was broken into with £300 worth of stock stolen, between 6pm on Tuesday and 10am on Wednesday.

Dismayed co-owner Ellie Fishwick said that things have got so bad that the Water Street shop may have to close its doors.

Ms Fishwick, who runs the shop which sells chocolate and sweet bouquets with her mum Melanie, said: "We closed up at about 6pm on Tuesday and come back at around 10am on Wednesday to find that the shop had been broken into.

"The thieves had managed to pop the lock out of the front door.

"They didn't cause a lot of damage but they've taken about £300 worth of stock which we've had to replenish and make up again."

She said stock stolen included sweets, chocolate, bouquets that had been made up, thank you and birthday gifts and various other orders for customers.

The shop, which opened around five years ago, has also been targeted on three other occasions.

Other incidents have seen thieves break in and steal a mobile phone in May, while in October last year offenders smashed a window of the shop and steal charity boxes.

And in June last year, thieves also broke into the shop and smashed a window.

She said that the latest incident has been reported to the police.

Ms Fishwick said: "The damage they've caused over the last year is ridiculous, as the windows in the shop are massive.

"We're talking about thousands of pounds worth of stock that has been stolen and damage.

"It's unfair and sometimes it feels as if there's no point as we're a hardworking business and this is what we get for it.

"We are considering closing the shop because we've had enough.

"We believe a gang of people are responsible for this just to fund their drugs habits and they don't care about police and CCTV and will stop at nothing.

"They are just low lives."

Hyndburn council leader Miles Parkinson expressed concern about the break-ins.

Cllr Parkinson said: "It's very concerning the amount of break ins and burglaries in the borough.

"This is of paramount importance to police and the community safety partnership.

"It's all about making pro-active steps to deal with these issues that are affecting businesses and lives."