Three people are due to appear in court next year charged with animal welfare offences, while several dogs have been seized from a house during a police raid.

Alongside RSPCA inspectors, officers from the rural taskforce raided a property in Nelson on Wednesday after receiving information about the welfare of a number of dogs being kept at the address.

Police seized the animals from the property and have now launched a full animal welfare investigation.

The warrants executed on Wednesday were the latest in series of similar actions carried out across the Ribble Valley and surrounding rural areas in the last six months.

Following a number of raids in Burnley back in April, three people were charged in connection with offences committed under the Animal Welfare Act and the Protection of Badger Act and will appear in court in January.

A spokesperson for the police said on Wednesday: "Officers from Ribble Valley rural taskforce have today executed a warrant under the Animal Welfare Act at an address in Nelson, with the RSPCA.

"As a result of the warrant a number of dogs were seized from the address whilst an investigation is carried out.

"This is the latest in a number of warrants the Ribble Valley rural taskforce have carried out with the RSPCA in the last six months.

"We will continue to work with partner agencies to target those who pose a threat to animals and cause them unnecessary suffering.

"We are also in a position to provide an update in relation to a number of warrants we carried out in Burnley in April.

"Three people have been reported for summons and will appear at court in January 2022, relating to offences under the Animal Welfare Act and the Protection of Badger Act.

"If anyone has any information relating to people causing harm or unnecessary suffering to animals please report it."

Officers from Ribble Valley rural taskforce can be contacted on ribblevalleyruraltaskforce@lancashire.police.uk.

If you wish to report information anonymously you can do so via crimestoppers on their website, orlo.uk/buUJR.