Plain clothed police officers have arrested a 23-year-old over suspected knife and drugs offences after chasing three men down an alley.

On Monday, officers from the Pendle Task Force apprehended the man, from Nelson on suspicion of possession of a bladed article and possession of class B drugs.

Police were on mobile patrol when they spotted a vehicle which was badly damaged come to a stop in a back alley near Regent Street in the town.

Three men got out of the vehicle and ran from police before officers gave chase and detained two of the men nearby.

On being searched one of the men was found to be in possession of a small kitchen knife and suspected class B drugs.

He was subsequently arrested and transported to Greenbank custody suite in Blackburn where an interview would be carried out.

A spokesperson for the police said: "The Pendle Task Force are determined to reduce the number of knives which are carried by individuals within Lancashire.

"We take knife crime extremely seriously and this is a growing problem across the country, we remain committed to tackling this issue and protecting the communities we serve in.

"When people carry knives it is only a matter of time before people suffer life changing injuries or are killed, statistics show that if you carry a knife you are much more likely to be involved in knife crime and injured yourself.

"This is another knife off the streets of Lancashire, harm has been prevented and the offender has been arrested. "

If you know anyone who carries a knife or is involved in any type of crime then you can report this to the police via 101 or if you wish to remain anonymous you can report this to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website.