TWO hooded thieves who carried out five terrifying knifepoint robberies in the space of about 90 minutes in Accrington and Burnley have each been jailed for eight years eight months.

Burnley Crown Court heard David Brogan, 23, and Peter Hammerton, 25, went on a drunken and violent rampage. Hammerton was on an electronically-monitored curfew and the record showed he was out for about five hours.

He rang the control centre and claimed something was wrong with the tagging equipment.

Hammerton, of Windy Bank, who was in breach of a suspended sentence and Brogan, of Langroyd Road, who had committed four previous offences, each admitted five robbery allegations.

Both live in Colne. Mark Lamberty, prosecuting, said in the hour either side of midnight last Sunday September 2, they carried out the thefts with force.

Warehousemen Nicky Baxendale, 23, was walking home from a friend's in Cambridge Street, Accrington when he was pinned against a wall.

He put up his arm to protect himself and was slashed. He had to have four stitches.

Jake McMillan, another warehouseman, was on Hyndburn Road, Great Harwood when a car stopped and two hooded men walked towards him.

As he was about to pass them, he was grabbed by the throat by one of the men.

They took a £50 mobile phone and a £10 note and Mr McMillan's £200 silver chain was ripped from his neck. Mr Lamberty said the third target was 69-year-old Kenneth McGough who was walking on Burnley Road, Padiham, with a takeaway.

He was knocked to the ground and the hooded men ran off taking £15.

A youth walking home in Padiham Road, Burnley, was threatened with a Stanley knife under his chin before the final victim was approached in Kiddrow Lane, Burnley, and an iPod, a £500 mobile phone, a lighter and wallet stolen.

Judge Beverley Lunt said the first victim suffered “a very nasty injury indeed”.