SEVEN men - including two from the Bolton and Bury areas - have appeared before magistrates charged in connection with what the prosecution described as a drugs-related shootout on the streets East Lancashire in February.

Blackburn magistrates have been told a drugs operation with an estimated yield of £220,000 was at the centre of a dispute between rival gangs.

One man was shot in the leg and bullet holes were found in a door.

Two cars which had been driven from Manchester earlier in the day were also set on fire.

Rebecca McAuley-Anderson, prosecuting, said on the night a group of offenders were intent on taking cannabis from the house on Salus Street, Burnley.

A number of Albanian nationals travelled from the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester in three cars and there was a “shootout” in Salus Street.

Ibrahim Beldie, 31, of Hollins Road, Oldham, Andon Bita, 46, of Ellen Wilkinson Crescent, Manchester, Elion Gllava, 25, of The Parklands, Stoneclough, were all charged with conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm, conspiring to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life and conspiring to supply cannabis.

Mazar Shah, 39, of Alms Hill Road, Manchester, and Gulam Rauf , 28, of Hartley Avenue, Prestwich, were charged with assisting an offender to avoid detention, committing an act with the intent of perverting the course of justice and arson.

Murtaza Ahmed, 37, of Berry Street, Brierfield, and Andrea Zekaqis , 30, of Acacia Road, Oldham, were charged with conspiring to supply cannabis.

All seven were remanded in custody to appear at Burnley Crown Court on August 12.