POLICE are hunting a gang of car thieves after discovering a number of suspected stolen vehicles at a farm near Blackburn last night.

Police officers traced a high-speed, high-value Mitsubishi stolen from the Manchester area using a tracking system.

After a search by the force helicopter, other cars and vans were found in a barn at the Red Cap Farm on Blackburn Road, between Blackburn and Accrington.

Officers backed off from the scene to lie in wait for the thieves, who never returned.

The cars were due to be recovered for forensic tests today.

Inspector Steve Haworth of Blackburn police said: "A tracking system was used to trace a vehicle back to Red Cap Farm.

"When we got there we found vehicles that are believed to have be stolen from other areas of the country, largely from the Manchester area."

The tracking system was activated at around 6pm, and the Mitsubishi was traced to the farm.

A thorough search of the area - leased to a farming family - was continuing today.

No arrests have been made, and officers are looking into who uses the farm buildings.