LANDLORDS and licensees are being targeted by a gang of violent late night drinkers who take over pubs and demand after-hours drinks.

The group of up to 20 individuals has been turning up at local pubs near to closing time and ordering large rounds of drinks. According to the police they then 'take over' the establishment and refuse to leave the premises.

It is thought that before targeting pubs in Burnley the gang had been seen in the pubs in and around Nelson and Colne.

Sergeant Danny Trelawny, of Burnley Police, said: "It is quite understandable that landlords and landladies will not wish to turn trade away, particularly where such a large group is concerned, but we are worried about the potential for confrontation. Licensees should remind customers that once 'time' has been called, there is a maximum drinking up time of 20 minutes, after which they must leave the premises.

"In an effort to try and ensure there are no more problems, officers will be carrying out an increased number of licensing visits to check that licensees are complying with the conditions of their licenses."

Secretary of the local Licensed Victuallers Association and landlord of the Foresters Arms in Todmorden Road, Micheal Igoe said they visited his pub in the past.

He said: "They came in here and I was on my own. Luckily a large group a regulars came in after them and they left."

Mr Igoe claims that most of the town centre pubs have been targeted, including the Corporation Hotel in Oxford Road, The Gannow Wharf Hotel in Gannow Lane, the Coach and Horses in Church Street and the White Horse in Hammerton Street.

Landlord of the Coach and Horses Harold Bowers said: "We had them in a few months ago. They did get a bit rowdy and we ended up barring them.."

Michael Igoe and Harold both said that the gang have Irish accents and could be travellers. They claim that one of the group enters the pub on their own, orders a drink and then telephones the others on a mobile phone.

Landlords from pubs in both Colne and Nelson say they have also been targeted by the same large group of people with Irish accents. Judy Mullarky, landlady of the Prince of Wales in Nelson, said: "They came in here and we wouldn't serve them after time so they slashed all the seats before they went. They are barred from our pub and I suspect from a lot of other pubs in Nelson."

Stella Parrington, of the North Valley in Colne, was on holiday when the group came in to her pub. She said: "They came in our pub and then weren't for leaving. They rang the police in the end and they got them out. They are good spenders but very intimidating."

Richard Capon, landlord in the Derby Arms in Colne, said the group were more like a family and tend to be led by a woman, possibly the mother. He said: "They send her in first and then once she has been served all the rest pile in. We had heard about this group in other pubs."

Michael offered this advice to any landlords or licensees who may come across the gang, "Just don't serve them it's as simple as that."