THE police helicopter and patrol cars were sent on the trail of raiders who broke into a Darwen social club this morning.

Hollins Grove Conservative Club, Blackburn Road, is monitored by a security company which alerted emergency services at 3am.

Within four minutes of the alarm going off, the men trashed three bandit machines and took money from a till, which members say could have been ‘in the hundreds’.

A 28-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of theft.

Club secretary Mick Horsley said: “It’s damage more than anything.

"They’ve tried to get in through a number of entrances and failed, but caused damage.

“Then they’ve actually managed to get in through the upstairs fire escape and within four minutes, have trashed the amusement machines upstairs and downstairs, and have stolen cash.

“It’s terrible that this has happened and that our club members were woken in the early morning to be confronted with smashed glass everywhere.”

CCTV footage from the building has been handed to the police.

A Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said an investigation was underway.

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