BURGLARS got away with more than £3,000 worth of fine wines and champagne in a lightning daylight raid at a secluded hotel.

The raiders struck at lunchtime at the exclusive Inn at Whitewell in the scenic Trough of Bowland, near Clitheroe.

Director Charles Bowman said the criminals moved in when the hotel was very busy.

"There must have been more than one of them. They were in and out in a matter of minutes," he added.

Police say they are looking for people who were possibly driving a Landcruiser type vehicle with a low trailer, although such a combination would not be particularly out of place in a rural area.

Their haul included 48 bottles of Eloise Merlot 2000 Exclusive, six bottles of Gallimard Brut, 72 bottles of Tierra Arena Sauvignon Blanc, 36 bottles of Klippenkop Chardonnay, and 48 bottles of Sancerre Les Perrieres Fournier 1999, from the hotel's separate wine store.

Mr Bowman said the total loss was more than £3,000. The Gallimard Brut was the most expensive at around £14 a bottle, he added.

"This is the first time it has happened to us," he said.

"Everyone looks out for everyone else in a spot like this.

"But we are now putting in alarms that will scare the sheep for miles."

The Inn at Whitewell is currently the North West Small Hotel of the Year.

In 2000 it won the prestigious Les Routiers Hotel of the Year title and is very highly regarded for its cuisine and opulent surroundings.