A MAN accused of temporarily blinding a police helicopter pilot has denied the charges.

Christopher Rhodes of Highgate, Nelson, is accused of shining a laser beam directly into the cockpit of the aircraft.

He pleaded not guilty to endangering the helicopter and its crew on May 7 this year when he appeared at Preston Crown Court.

The 45-year-old will face a trial on January 19 next year which is expected to last two days.

Police said the helicopter had been mobilised to provide support to a 26-mile pursuit of a silver Ford Mondeo across Lancashire after it failed to stop in Manchester.

Later, as the aircraft flew over Nelson, the pilot was temporarily blinded when a laser was allegedly“shone at him” from the ground.

Police said the incident could have caused “multiple deaths”.

The incident had started when the Mondeo failed to stop for police at 9.30pm in Crumpsall, Manchester.

Greater Manchester officers pursued the vehicle down the M66, A56 and M65 to Nelson. Lancashire police provided assistance when the pursuit reached the M66.

Two men were arrested over the pursuit in Nelson — one in Surrey Old Road and the other in Selby Street. The car chase incident and the laser incident are being treated as unrelated by the police.

Police said that the pilot was temporarily blinded around 10.30pm.

Yesterday Rhodes appeared at crown court for the first time to answer the charges. Judge Beverley Lunt granted Rhodes conditional bail.