ONE of Lancashire's most wanted men has been caught in Spain after two years on the run.

Lee Tansey was wanted in connection with a bank robbery that saw machete-wielding gang get away with a 'significant' amount of cash from the Lloyds TSB in Duckworth Street, Darwen.

Spanish police swooped on Tansey as he was attempting to check-in for a flight back to the UK.

The 32-year-old from Salford is said to have been living in the Mijas area of Spain and was arrested at Malaga airport on Wednesday.

Police said that Tansey was wanted for questioning over a number of high-value robberies in addition to the Darwen incident.

European arrest warrants were issued by both the Lancashire and West Yorkshire police forces. Greater Manchester police also want to question him about a number of crimes on their patch too.

Matt Burton from the Serious Organised Crime Agency said: “Our international reach should leave criminals in no doubt that life on the run will be uncomfortable, insecure, and short lived."

Police had taken their hunt for Tansey to BBC's Crimewatch show.

At around 4.45pm on Thursday June 5, 2008, three men wearing balaclavas and carrying a sledge hammer, crow bar and a machete terrified nine members of staff and a customer during the ordeal, which took place just as the bank was closing for the day.

Staff were forced to hand over cash boxes before the men escaped in a grey Audi A3 which was waiting outside the bank, with a fourth man driving.

Police found the Audi - which had been stolen from the Manchester area - on fire ten minutes later, at the back of Robin Bank Road.

A reward of up to £25,000 was offered for information that led to a conviction.

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