TWO men have been jailed after a raid on a depot which netted a sportswear haul worth almost £2,000.

Christopher Brooks, 42, one of the two involved, had sped off in a people carrier pursued by police and almost ran down a schoolgirl in a hospital car park.

He was jailed for two years by Judge Raymond Bennett at Burnley Crown Court. The defendant, of Albany Road, Revidge, Blackburn, was convicted of dangerous driving after a week-long trial.

Together with co-defendant John Riley, 43, of Waterloo Close, Blackburn, he was also found guilty of theft at Ascos General Supplies, on Walker Park in the town. Riley was sent to prison for 12 months.

The court had been told how Riley had been found in the premises by an employee and was detained twice.

Brooks drove through the depot's security gates and made no attempt to stop for police. He clocked up speeds of 65mph in 30mph and 40mph zones.

He then drove into the grounds of Queens Park Hospital, mounted a pavement and forced a schoolgirl to jump out of the way.