Shocking footage of thieves stealing £60,000 worth of equipment from surveyors working in an Oswaldtwistle street has been released by police.

Surveyors were targeted in two separate incidents on the same spot on Rhyddings Street just hours apart.

In both incidents a car drove on to the pavement hitting the equipment before it was dragged into the vehicle which then made off.

The first happened at around 9.45am on Tuesday, 21 November when the silver VW Passat, believed to be on cloned plates, drove onto the pavement and the front seat passenger grabbed a tripod and surveying equipment that was being used.

The operator was left shocked but uninjured.

Just over an hour later, at around 11.05am, a silver Ford Mondeo on Rhyddings Street, also believed to be on cloned plates, drove onto the pavement, knocking the surveying equipment over and causing the operator to jump out of the way.

One man then got out of the car and grabbed the equipment before it was driven off.

A police spokesman said: “We really need to trace the people responsible for these thefts - if you have any information, however small, or might know the man in the video please can you contact PC 2749 Laura Rigby on 01254353103 or alternatively email Accrington.npt@lancashire.pnn.police.uk quoting crime numbers ED1719572 and ED1719575. Please share and thanks for your help.”