MASKED men burst into a store and subjected a shopkeeper to a terrifying racial attack this week.

Three men wearing balaclavas went into the general store on Spring Street, Rishton, at 10.15pm on Monday and started shouting racial abuse at Arif Mahmood, before punching him in the face.

Mr Mahmood, 33, has run the shop, where he lives with his wife and four young children, for seven years.

He said: "They were all really tall and white but I can't remember what they were wearing as it all happened so quickly.

"One of them shouted 'Give me some fags' and I asked him which ones he wanted. He just repeated that he wanted cigarettes before he grabbed me and hit me in the face.

"Another pushed the sweet rack over and said he was going to kill me. My wife called the police and they were only in the store about five minutes before they left."

Mr Mahmood said the attack was part of an ongoing campaign of racial abuse he had suffered while running the shop.

He said: "We have had windows broken and I have had my car damaged by people scratching keys down the side. It seems to go quiet for about two to three weeks and then it starts again. There is no stopping it.

"They are always making trouble but I have no idea why. I feel really frightened by it."

He added that he had considered closing his business and moving somewhere else to get away from the problems.

Sergeant Wendy Jacobs of Great Harwood Police said: "This is obviously an unacceptable crime and we are looking to catch the offenders as soon as possible.

"Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.