POLICE have arrested and charged a Nelson man following an armed robbery at a Burnley garage.

Naeem Shazad, 21, of Rook Street, Nelson, appeared before magistrates in Burnley in connection with the service station raid.

Shazad was arrested in Nelson and charged with the robbery and possession of an offensive weapon by detectives investigating the crime.

Shazad was remanded in custody until April by Burnley magistrates.

Police launched their inquiry after a woman cashier at the Total Garage, Eastern Avenue, was allegedly attacked by a man as she worked behind the till on Friday, December 30.

The woman, 40, who has not been named, was alone in the shop at about 7.30pm when the robber entered. She was allegedly attacked with a small baseball bat.

Police revealed she received facial injuries and was taken to Burnley General Hospital for treatment before being released.

An undisclosed amount of money was stolen, officers added.

Following the incident garage owner Ken Kay, of the Blackburn-based Kay Group, put up a £1,000 reward for information about the robbery.