A SECURITY guard was threatened by a masked knifeman and held captive in a room for eight hours during a £50,000 raid.

Thomas Kelly, 51, endured the terrifying ordeal in only his third shift at Power House electrical retailers, Peel retail Park, Whitebirk, Blackburn.

Detective Inspector Neil Hunter today said the robbery was carried out by a dangerous, well-organised and professional team.

The robbers stole a selection of goods worth around £50,000, including plasma televisions, but a full audit was being carried out today to discover exactly what was taken.

The security guard, who was on duty on his own, was unharmed but shaken by the incident. The intruders broke into the store at around 9.30pm on Saturday.

DI Hunter said one man wearing a balaclava and brandishing a knife confronted Mr Kelly and told him to wait in the canteen area.

He said: "They are quite determined and well-organised and not adverse to using violence. We have to describe them as dangerous.

"Mr Kelly was not physically injured at all but is shaken by the incident."

The masked man returned to the canteen at around 5am and warned Mr Kelly not to contact the police. The robbers then left through the rear of the store.

DI Hunter said: "We have a lot of inquiries to make today. Will be looking at all people who have worked there to see if there is any inside involvement.

"We are also liaising with colleagues in the North West region as we cannot rule out the possibility of travelling criminals.

"Once we have a full list of what has been stolen we will be circulating those details to potential outlets.

"We would also warn people to be wary of accepting property in unusual circumstances because it may be stolen."

Police have appealed for anyone who was in the retail park on Saturday night around 9.30pm and saw anything suspicious to contact police.

Similarly, if anyone saw a vehicle or vehicles driving away from Whitebirk Drive in the early hours of Sunday.

Stock worth £36,000 was stolen from a textile business in what police described as an unconnected raid by an organised gang stealing to order.

Burglars at Rhapsody Textiles, Thwaites Close, on the Shadsworth Industrial Estate, covered a CCTV camera with a plastic bag, smashed through the front door and used cutting equipment to reach a 40 foot container holding the stock.

Items taken during the raid in the early hours of Saturday include: 70 roles of blue Chenille, 30 rolls of Vivaldi cloth, 30 pairs of Athena green curtains,10 rolls each of blue cloth and navy blue cloth.

Anyone with information about either offence should call Blackburn police on 01254 51212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.