TWENTY seven people were due to appear in court today for sentence in connection with last summer's disorder in Burnley.

The defendants have all appeared this week at a special hearing held at Preston Crown Court to view the evidence which led to them being charged with public order offences.

Judge Peter Openshaw will preside over the specially arranged court sitting to deal with the defendants who have all pleaded guilty.

More than forty detectives worked on the investigation into the disorder which broke out in the town over three days in June.

Shops were wrecked, cars were burned out and properties attacked as tensions rose between white and Asian communities.

The troubles are believed by many to have been sparked by an attack on an off duty taxi driver outside the Baltic Fleet pub in Briercliffe Road on Sunday, June 24.

The Duke of York public house in the centre of the area was gutted by fire and many local shops, offices and businesses suffered widespread damage

Police published sets of pictures of people wanted for questioning in local newspapers, including the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

The investigation team, drafted in to Burnley from all divisions of Lancashire Constabulary, investigated serious assaults and arson attacks on shops, businesses and vehicles.