POLICE swooped on several houses in a Blackburn street when a 49-year-old man was left seriously injured in an alleyway.

Riot vans moved into Nottingham Street in the Audley Range area yesterday as the victim was transferred from Blackburn Royal Infirmary to Royal Preston Hospital.

Officers then visited several homes in the street while other areas of the neighbourhood remained sealed off.

The victim, who suffered serious head injuries in the attack, was set upon as he walked home with a friend in the early hours of yesterday.

The two, who police have refused to name, are believed to have been attacked by a group of men in a back alley between Ripon Street and Lambeth Street.

Both were taken to hospital. One was released after treatment but the other was detained and later transferred to Preston for a brain scan. His condition is now said to be stable.

Inspector Mick Turner, of Blackburn CID, said houses in Nottingham Street had been visited as part of the investigation yesterday afternoon.

He went on: "The victim's family have been taken to the hospital to see him and we hope to know more after that.

"We are continuing with our investigation and visited houses in Nottingham Street as part of that."

Neighbours in Nottingham Street and the surrounding area poured out of their houses as the drama unfolded at about 1.30pm yesterday.

One said: "I was sitting out and then the next minute two riot vans pulled up and the police jumped out. They went into a house.

"I asked one of the officers and he said some people had been fighting."

Another resident said police had entered a terrace property in the street where a number of youths have lived for about 10 months.