THIEVES escaped with a £4,600 haul in cash and cigarettes when they burgled a pub by candlelight.

The culprits scaled a six-foot brick wall at the back of the Village Inn, in Water Street, Great Harwood, before forcing a service hatch to the cellar.

After propping the hatch open with an empty beer crate, officers say the intruders went to the ground floor and disarmed the security alarm.

They then forced two fruit machines, emptying the cash boxes, and stole cigarettes worth £200 from a machine, including Royals, Embassy, Richmond, Regal and Benson and Hedges.

More cash was taken from an old safe in the cellar, which was forced open, and a CD player along with 300 CDs and cases, worth £3,400 was also stolen.

Candles were found in the cellar after the incident, which happened between 11.45pm, on Sunday, and 8.30am, yesterday.