A MAN has pleaded guilty to carrying out a series of armed robberies, including one at a town centre bank.

Michael Parr, 22, admitted his part in a raid at the Halifax bank, in Berry Lane, Longridge, in January.

Parr also pleaded guilty to two other armed robberies at Marsden’s Jewellers, in Clitheroe, in December, and a jewellers in South-port in November last year.

He also admitted an attempted cash-in-transit robbery in Bury on January 7 when he attempted to steal a cash box from a security guard outside a post office.

Parr, of Naden Walk, Whitefield, Manchester, has been remanded in custody for sentencing, which will take place at Bolton Crown Court next month.

The raid at Marsden’s Jewellers took place around 5.20pm on December 15 and a “substantial amount” of jewellery and watches were taken.

Police said that on January 16 Parr was part of a gang that raided the Halifax bank, in Longridge.

The group pulled up outside the bank at around 11am in a blue Fiat Punto and grabbed around £3,000 in cash before fleeing.

A metal cash box was stolen in the raid after the gang broke the protective security glass before leaping over the counter.

Police launched a major hunt for the raiders and Parr was arrested shortly afterwards.

Detective Inspector Steve Dowson said the incident had been frightening for the staff in the bank.

And he added: “It was unusual for this sort of incident to happen in that area, particularly in broad daylight on a crowded street.”