THERE was a sense of shock on the streets of Clitheroe after bomb hoaxer Philip McHugh was jailed for six years.

Despite the high-profile case, little was known about the man who was arrested in Milton Avenue, Clitheroe, last July.

Near the Tesco store in Waterloo Road there was still confusion as to who McHugh was and why he went ahead with his blackmail campaign.

And in the quiet cul-de-sac of Milton Avenue, off Waddington Road, neighbours described a man who kept himself to himself.

Liz Whittaker, 48 of Edisford Road, Clitheroe, said: "Why anybody would want to do something like that?

"I have no idea and I know it caused a lot of disruption and upset in the town when the store was forced to close.

"He got what he deserved. It's worrying someone would do that, especially as a lot of people from the town use this supermarket every day."

David Keith, 64, of Henthorn Road, Clitheroe echoed the thoughts of many when he said that nobody really knew who McHugh was.

He said: "Nobody I've spoken to since he was arrested seems to know who he was or can recall seeing him round the town.

"I suppose we should just be grateful that what he did was only a hoax campaign and that he didn't actually go through with the bombings."

Elaine Pickup, 59, of Pendle Road, Clitheroe, added: "I'm just shocked that a man from this town would be involved in something like this.

"It's frightening that anybody would want to send letters like this to a supermarket and would even consider hurting people in this town."

Neighbours in Milton Avenue said they rarely saw McHugh and if they did he rarely spoke.

One neighbour who asked not to be named, said: "We still know very little about what went on and why he did it.

"Nobody really knows him and not much has come out since his arrest."