Great Harwood: Café owner’s shock after fight breaks out involving machetes

​Four youths were arrested and questioned and a teenager has appeared before Blackburn magistrates following the incident at The Chai Guys in Queen Street, Great Harwood.

Blackburn magistrates heard the incident was "gang" related and a youth who was assaulted during the incident had refused to make a statement.

At court, a 16 year old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to affray, possession of a machete  and possession of a lock knife.

He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. He will be sentenced at the youth court at a later date.

The Chai Guys shop in Great Harwood

Carl Gaffney, prosecuting, said CCTV footage showed the defendant and other youths walk past Chai Guys, when one of them looked in and then went into the cafe.

Before he entered the defendant produced the machete and when he entered slammed it down on a table.

"If he had used the weapon we would be talking about much more serious offences," said Mr Gaffney.

After the group entered the cafe a youth who was already in and was sitting at a table was assaulted.

"He managed to flee the scene and was not struck with any weapon," said Mr Gaffney. "He refused to make a statement."

Manager of the shop, Mohammed Sohail, says staff are “still in shock” days after the incident took place on Sunday, July 31.

He said: “We are all still in a bit of shock. It’s not something we have ever experienced before.

“Girls were working at the time and they were just gobsmacked and shocked.

“I wasn’t in the shop at the time but I got a phone call at around 3.15pm from my partner to say there has been a machete attack and gang fight.”

Mohammed said a group of around 10 or 12 people, some of which had face coverings, entered the shop brandishing bats and machetes.

One person hit the table with a machete and left a mark

He said: “They just started fighting a group of young lads. It lasted about 30 seconds and was over so quickly.

“One of them hit our table with a machete and it has left a mark.”

Mohammed said there was “blood everywhere” and staff spent hours cleaning the shop.

He said: “We had the full cleaning kit, mops, brushes, disinfectant because there was so much blood.

“We gave it a deep clean and four of us were spraying, mopping and disinfecting.

“We weren’t sure where the blood had gone as it was on the floor, up the walls and on our boots so we just cleaned everywhere.”

Mohammed is worried that the incident will affect his business, which only opened this year, and says staff members haven’t been the same since

He said: “It probably has affected our business. We’ve had some customers stop coming because they’re scared that more people turn up."

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He wants to reassure the public the fight had nothing to do with the company or staff.

He said: “Since the incident members of the community have been stopping by and asking if we are alright.

“I want to thank these people and also the police for acting so promptly.

“I just want to reassure the public this incident had nothing to do with us – it was between two outside parties.

“I am just so glad no customers or staff were seriously hurt – I just hope nothing like this ever happens again.”

Blood on the floor at The Chai Guys in Great Harwood

A spokesperson for the Lancashire Constabulary said: "We were called to Queen Street, Great Harwood, at approximatelt 3.15pm on Sunday afternoon after reports of disorder among a group of youths involving weapons.

"Four youths were arrested and questioned on suspicion of violent disorder."