A SHOPKEEPER today said he feared for his family's safety after louts shot a hole in the window of his premises.

Shahnawaz Khan, who owns Ramada Shoes in Blackburn Road, Great Harwood, discovered the hole in his shop window.

He believes the damage could have been done at some point in the previous three or four days with an air rifle.

Inspector Steve Lee, from Great Harwood police, said that the hole could have been caused by a variety of instruments, such as a catapult.

He said: "While we are aware of the damage to Mr Khan's shop, we would urge people not to be unnecessarily worried, because it could have been caused by a number of different things. It was not necessarily an air rifle."

But Mr Khan said he was now very worried for his family.

He said: "It was at head height and God knows what would have happened if anyone had been in the shop at the time.

"My wife or my son could have been there and it doesn't bear thinking about. Anything could have happened.

"It looks like it was an air rifle pellet, because it just went straight through. It could have really hurt somebody."

He added: "It has caused considerable damage to me. It will be £500 to replace the window. I am only a small shopkeeper.

"I cannot cope with this worry and this kind of thing could drive me out of business with the stress of it all."

Mr Khan said the shot at his window came on Friday came after several weeks of problems with local youths.

"The stress of this is too much for my family. We believe we have seen people trying to take our shoes.

"I have been serving Great Harwood and the local community for 14 years as best I can."

Mr Khan has put tape over the hole, but will have to replace the window in the next few days.