A JEWELLERY store boss today offered a reward to help catch raiders who stole £100,000 in luxury goods.

Colin Humberstone has also vowed to continue trading in the wake of the attack - when masked robbers stormed his shop in Gisburn Road, Barrowford.

The three crooks used a lump hammer to smash a display cabinet before taking a quantity of watches, including Rolex and Cartier.

Mr Humberstone, director of Humberstone Jewellers, said he believed the robbers were from the same gang that raided the Blackburn branch in April." He said: "It is not known the exact figure from the latest raid yet but it is approximately £100,000.

"I believe the people responsible are part of the same group who did the previous robbery because the method was exactly the same.

"We have not experienced anything like this before in 40 years of trading."

After the robbery at around 2pm on Tuesday, the men sped off in a black Volvo driven by a fourth man. It was later found abandoned behind the Victoria pub, in Gisburn Road.

A dark coloured Volvo or Mercedes was then seen heading towards the M65.

Mr Humberstone, who has put up an undisclosed reward for information, said the shops were targeted because of the difficulty in escaping from urban areas.

He added: "I would say it was because we stock a large amount of goods that are not normally seen outside cities. We have items costing £30,000 so they are an attractive proposition for them."

Detectives were still investigating the raid and the company will now implement tighter security measures to combat future attacks.

He added: "The staff were shocked but they are recovering now and it is business as usual."

Anyone with information should contact Pendle CID on 01282 472645 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.