A GANG of about five men 'ram raided' a designer clothes shop, making off with items worth about £7,000, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Police officers from Lancashire and Greater Manchester gave chase and a helicopter was scrambled after the attack on Originals, St James Street, Burnley, in March. The robbers' getaway car, a stolen high performance Volkswagen Golf, later smashed into bollards in Salford, before the gang ran off. One youth, later arrested by the police, was found sweating and out of breath, the jury was told.

Peter Williamson, 18, of O'Kane House, Cawdor Street, Eccles, denies burglary and claims he had been to a friend's house.

PC Gregory Barlow, of Greater Manchester Police, said after the VR6 Volkswagen hit the bollards about five people ran off and he gave chase. He lost sight of a man he was chasing, but saw a colleague with another youth.

Cross-examined by Michael Lavery, defending, the officer said he couldn't remember hearing Williamson saying he had been to a friend's. PC Barlow said he did not speak to the defendant or have any contact with him.

Mr Lavery said: "I dispute with you that he was out of breath and sweating. He was neither."

PC Barlow replied: "I was there and he was."

(Proceeding)

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