A GANG of six children, some aged as young as 10, stole 12 crates of booze worth £444 from a pub cellar.

The youngsters -- believed to be aged between 10 and 13 -- removed a cover to get into the cellar of the Shakespeare Hotel, Wytham Street, Padiham between 10.05pm and 10.20pm on Monday.

They stole dozens of bottles of alcopops which they whisked away in a wheelie bin.

The group stole 48 bottles of WKD iron brew, 96 bottles of WKD Blue, 30 bottles of Smirnoff Ice Black, 24 bottles of Smirnoff Ice and four bottles of Mudshake -- an alcoholic milkshake.

The youngsters were spotted by customers as they returned for a second raid on the cellar and fled.

Pub manager Anthony Aspinall said the stolen stock was a big loss.

He said: "They found a way of getting in by releasing the catch and getting in through the cellar trap.

"It's about an eight-foot drop and they have managed to get in and lift out some cases from down in the cellar to friends on top. They have used a wheelie bin to carry it away and they were seen by a couple of customers.

"I had been down there about 9.40pm to change a barrel so they must have done it very quickly. They were in getting a second lot when they were spotted.

"I have caught them before with the cellar trap open.

"One of them had been down there and got out very quickly.

"Coming up to Easter it's a great blow. Nothing like this has happened before.

"I have been in the trade now for 12 years and this is the first one I have had.

"I would certainly say that it's either been planned by them or if it was opportunist. Their parents are going to have a lovely Easter."