FOUR more people have appeared in court in connection with the alleged smuggling of more than six million cigarettes into the UK in two trucks belonging to an East Lancashire haulage firm.

Stuart Taylor, 42, of Lane Ends Cottage, Balderstone, who is boss of Stuart Taylor International Transport Ltd, of Mellor Brook, is already awaiting trial.

Also awaiting trial are Nicholas Harris, 39, of Coniston Way, Rishton; Darren Pollard, 30, of Farrar Street, Nelson and Sean Bunkell, 33, of Anchor Way, Lytham St Annes.

They have all been charged with evading £700,000 duty on 6.4million cigarettes.

Four more men appeared before Manchester magistrates where they faced committal proceedings.

They are charged with smuggling offences in connection with the same alleged incident.

In court were Steven Wynn, 41 and his wife Julie, both of Preece Close, Widnes; Francis James Beckett, 34, of Fairfield Close, Ormskirk and Stephen Radcliffe, 34, of Melrose Road, Melling Mount, Kirby, Liverpool.

All eight will face trial at Manchester Crown Court on January 5 2000.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.