AN angry father has criticised police who smashed their way into his house during dawn drug raids in Darwen.

Richard Ellison, 47, of Ivinson Road, was sitting quietly in his living room at around 7am on Thursday when he said police officers burst through his front door and pinned him to his settee. Mr Ellison said: "The police are supposed to have spent months planning this yet they get the wrong house. It's ridiculous."

Lancashire Constabulary have confirmed they have received a complaint from a resident but said they cannot confirm or deny the allegations at this stage.

A spokesman said: "A number of search warrants were executed at addresses in the Darwen area on Thursday, December 4. We are currently looking into a complaint by one of the residents that his address was targeted wrongly.

"The matter is being thoroughly investigated by Lancashire Constabulary."

Mr Ellison said he was downstairs on the couch waiting to get his son up for work when he heard three bangs on the door.

He said: "I have arthritis in my hip so it takes me a while to get up and by the time I got to the living room door they were bursting in.

"When my son heard the commotion he jumped out of bed and he had just got to the bedroom door. They pushed him on to the bed.

"Four officers came into the living room and three went running upstairs. .

"They admitted they had made a mistake. They had a search warrant but for the wrong house. They realised straightaway and no-one was arrested.

"We had a detective sergeant around apologising.

"Fair enough, we have got a new door and frame paid for but the new frame is smaller than the last so the carpets don't fit properly."

The raids took place on two streets in the town as part of a wider operation by Lancashire's major crime unit investigating drug dealers from Merseyside operating in Darwen.