A POLICE chief visited a father-of-two to apologise after officers mistakenly carried out a drugs raid on his home.

Richard Ellison, 47, of Ivinson Road, Darwen, was watching television when police smashed through the front door and pinned him to the settee.

He was made to put his hands on his head before officers realised that they had made a mistake and obtained a search warrant for the wrong house.

This week, Det Chief Insp Neil Smith visited the family's home to offer an apology to Mr Ellison.

He stressed that Mr Ellison had no connection with illegal drugs at all.

He added: "It was a genuine error on the part of the police and we are really sorry about that.

"It was a human error by officers involved in the intelligence gathering.

"We are really sorry we caused him and his family distress."

The police have replaced Mr Ellison's front door and are discussing compensation for the distress caused.

Mr Ellison was sitting in his living room at 7am on Thursday December 4, when four officers burst into the room and another three went upstairs.

Mr Ellison said one officer tapped him around the head when he was unable to keep still due to discomfort caused by arthritis.

He said: "I realise drug dealers can be dangerous people but I was very, very angry at the time.

"I was also angry that people would be thinking I was involved with drugs.

"But the police have been very good about everything since.

"They have put the damage they did right and I thought it was good that they sent someone so senior to apologise. It was very pleasing."

The raid at Mr Ellison's house was part of an operation on two Darwen streets as part targeting travelling criminals from Merseyside.