BURGLARS have virtually emptied a Rawtenstall fashion shop in a copycat smash and grab raid.

The thieves broke into Together ladies and children's wear on Bank Street in the town last night - just two weeks after a similar raid on the Remy's men's fashion store only doors away. Today, police and shop owners were still trying to assess the amount of stock taken in the 9pm raid, but described it as 'considerable.'

Included in the haul was £10,000-worth of children's designer clothes.

Detective Sergeant Stuart Barlow, of Rossendale CID, said: "We believe five or six men in a VW Jetta or Passat and a Ford Fiesta were involved.

"They pulled up outside the shop and totally destroyed the door with a blunt instrument, believed to be a sledge hammer. They then entered the shop and took virtually everything." The thieves made off down the M66.

The shop contains two businesses, You and Yours ladies fashions, owned by Glenda Wild, who is currently on holiday in Tenerife, and Bees Nees children's wear, owned by Mrs Gwen Taylor.

This is the fifth time the business has been attacked in three years and Mrs Taylor said the raids could force the two businesses to close.

She added: "They raid us about once every six months and they know what they are looking for. It doesn't matter what we do, we can't stop them.

"Our lease has two more years to run, then there could be one more empty shop in the valley."

Earlier this week, DS Barlow warned Rossendale business owners of smash and grab raiders coming into the valley from Salford and North Manchester.

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