POLICE are investigating a fraud allegation at a busy Pendle pub which closed suddenly.

The Lord Rodney, Mill Green, Colne, has been repossessed by the Yorkshire Bank, according to the owners.

The pub has been owned by David and Sylvia Manville for 13 years and run by their son Bruce and his partner Noel Toland.

On the same day it shut, Noel was at Reedley Magistrates' Court to transfer the licence from Bruce's name so Bruce could concentrate on working as chef.

Mrs Manville, of Camm Lane, Thornton-in-Craven, said: "By the time he got back to the pub the locks had been changed.

"Insolvency practitioners said the bank would not repossess because it was not in their best interests to do it, it was a popular place. "The bank did not liaise with us at all and we did not know until the very last minute that they were going to come and close it."

Mr Manville praised his son's friends who rallied round Bruce and Noel and helped them to remove all their property from the premises.

He said the repossession was due to debts which had been incurred through no fault of the management and police had been called in to investigate an allegation of fraud.

Mr and Mrs Manville added that they were hoping to sort out the situation with the bank and customers could be assured "new Rodney" should emerge soon.

Det Insp Ron Griffiths confirmed a fraud allegation had been made but inquiries were not complete. He said: "We have not decided whether it is a criminal matter at this stage."

Yorkshire Bank refused to comment.

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