TAXI drivers in Burnley have called for increased protection after a string of terrifying attacks across the town.

Private hire and hackney carriage drivers say they are feeling increasingly exposed to violent attacks from disgruntled punters, particularly when picking up fares in Burnley town centre on Friday and Saturday nights.

Their plight has been highlighted by two Burnley Crown court cases - one involving a driver fleeing in terror and having his cab taken by rowdy passengers while the other involved a cabbie being mugged for his takings.

Taxi trade leaders have now called for CCTV cameras to be installed in vehicles and for the courts to impose stiffer penalties on those found guilty of attacking drivers.

Police said that they were considering introducing cameras and pay upfront schemes in a bid to combat the attacks.

Burnley Crown Court heard that cabbie Shakeel Mirza, a partner in M and M Taxis, of St James Street, Burnley, was forced to abandon his vehicle in Ightenhill after being intimidated by four unruly passengers last February, who drove themselves home.

The quartet, Phillip Eason, 32, Lisa France, 21, mother of two Hannah France, 20 and Adam Watkinson, 20, were condemned by Judge Beverley Lunt but were spared jail sentences.

Eason, of Bath Street, Nelson, admitted affray and aggravated vehicle taking, while Watkinson, of Smith Street, Nelson, who also admitted aggravated vehicle taking, were each given 24 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, with 100 hours community service.

Hannah and Lisa France, of Walter Street, Huncoat, also admitted aggravated vehicle taking.

Hannah was given a six-month probation order and Lisa was conditionally discharged for 12 months. All four defendants were given 12-month driving bans.

Judge Lunt said taxi drivers were entitled to know the courts would take attacks on them seriously and she had considered imposing custodial sentences.

Taxi driver Mr Mirza, speaking after the case, said: "I am thinking of leaving the trade. It was a very frightening experience."

Just two weekends ago Mr Mirza was involved in a second incident outside Fusion nightclub, on Queens Lancashire Way, when his cab was surrounded by 80 or 90 clubbers, kicking the vehicle's doors and causing £1,100 in damage.

The same day as Mr Mirza's case, Judge Lunt also dealt with William Cross, of Cog Lane, Burnley, who admitted robbing taxi driver Ejaz Ahmed of his cashbag, containing £40.

Cross had taken a cab with Mr Ahmed, of Union Taxis, from Colne to Burnley, with a friend but had taken issue with the £10 fare.

After arguing about the fare, Cross made a sudden movement towards Mr Ahmed, who feared he would be hit.

Instead he reached for the driver's money bag containing £40.

Police were alerted and Cross was arrested at home shortly afterwards. Judge Lunt jailed Cross for 14 months.

A Burnley Private Hire Association spokesman said: "We are concerned about our members safety and we need help and co-operation from the authorities.

"Our members are doing a very, very difficult job and they need to be protected.

"The message needs to get out that bullying and intimidation of taxi drivers is not acceptable."

He added that schemes such as CCTV and pre-agreed fares were ways of minimising the risk for cabbies.

Coun Frank Ashworth, chairman of Burnley council's licensing committee, said the authority had not been approached about spy cameras in cabs - but he could not see a problem with such a policy being adopted.

"Unfortunately attacks on taxi drivers has been a perennial problem and we would fully support any protection we can give them," said Coun Ashworth.

"It shouldn't be happening but we get quite a few attacks because drivers are very vulnerable - especially if they are picking up a group of drunken young lads or the like."

Chief Insp John Puttock, of Burnley Police, said: "We are looking at a number of initiatives, including 'pay up front' schemes, and CCTV, to deal with this issue robustly, because we recognise the vulnerability of taxi drivers."