A LANDLORD was hit with a chair by yobs unhappy at his efforts to stamp out trouble at his pub, police said.

They also smashed several windows after the "nasty incident" in the Golden Cross Inn, Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, at 7.30pm on Sunday.

Licensee Alan Brownridge, 40, was struck with a chair and several windows were smashed by a gang who had earlier been refused entry, police said.

advertisement Three men, aged 26, 27, and 44 and a 23-year-old woman, all from Oswaldtwistle, and a 31-year-old Accrington man have been arrested on suspicion of public order offences in connection with the incident.

In the summer Mr Brownridge and his colleague Lee Gregson were brought in to turn the troubled Thwaites pub around.

More than 70 people were barred in the first week when they took over.

And Thwaites have said that since violent incidents had been drastically reduced.

On Sunday police were called at 7.30pm after reports of a "nasty incident".

Police said Mr Brownridge was assaulted with a chair and £800 damage was caused to windows and the front door by a group of people.

Officers said they believed that at least one of the group had earlier been refused entry to the pub after being barred.

Mr Brownridge suffered cuts and bruises and refused hospital treatment.

A police spokesperson said: "The incident appears to have been as a result of the landlord trying to improve the premises.

"This was a particularly nasty incident which could have resulted in much more serious consequences."

Speaking when he took over at the Golden Cross Mr Brownridge said he was determined to eradicate the "fighting pub" image of the venue.

He said: "We were asked to rescue this place because we've done it before with other places and been successful.

"We gutted it and in the first week barred over 70 people who were either underage or identified as being part of the Pubwatch scheme.

"With the previous licensee the police were being called once or twice a night, but in the 12 weeks we've been here, they haven't been called once.

"I own my own security firm - Universal Securities - and I know who shouldn't be coming in.

"Everyone gets asked for ID too, both on the door and at the bar.

"We've turned a fighting pub into a drinking pub. "