DETECTIVES investigating the shotgun death of Iain McKay have arrested three men and discovered weapons in raids on two homes.

The three, all in their 20s from addresses in Burnley and Padiham, were arrested early yesterday and were today being questioned about the death of Mr McKay.

The body of the 31-year-old warehouseman was found at the entrance to an isolated car park off Netherwood Road, Burnley, in the early hours of Sunday, October 1.

At 7.30am today, a superintendent gave the investigating team a 12-hour time extension before a decision will have to be made on whether to apply to magistrates for more time to charge them or to release them.

One of the men was arrested at a house in Brunswick Street, Burnley. Later in the day specialist search officers visited a house in Brunswick Street and an address in Reed Street.

The man leading the inquiry, Det Chief Insp Mike Kellett said: "We recovered various items including an axe and a machete, dark balaclava helmets and a small quantity of what we believe are controlled drugs."

Two other local men, also in their 20s, who were arrested on Monday and questioned in connection with attempting to pervert the course of justice have now been released without charge.

DCI Kellett has renewed appeals to trace a woman who rang Lloyds TSB Bank to report that her daughter had found one of Mr McKay's missing credit cards.

The find was reported 11 days after the shooting but the link with the murder inquiry was not made until later

On October 10 a woman with a Burnley accent telephoned the credit card company to report the find. She was advised to cut it in two and throw it away.

DCI Kellett said today: "We have a tape recording of the conversation. We need that woman to get back in touch so she can give us details of where the card was found.

"It is surprising she has not come forward in the light of the coverage this was given. We don't suspect her of anything, in fact just the opposite. I am appealing for her to come forward even if it is anonymously just to tell us where the credit card was found. I can assure her that everything will be dealt with in confidence."

She is asked to ring Burnley police on 01282 425001 and ask for DCI Kellett or the murder incident room.

Mr McKay, who lived in Williams Road, Burnley, was killed by a shotgun wound to the head. A man has appeared in court charged with murder and two others with attempting to pervert the course of justice.