FOUR youths have been cleared of a road rage attack that was said to have left a Colne shopkeeper injured and bleeding.

Bodrul Alam, 18, of Duke's Brow, Blackburn; Alamin Hussain, 18, of Queens Avenue, Chester; and Ajad Miah, 18, and Ahad Miah, 20, both of Sterling Street, Oldham, were found not guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm and affray.

They had denied the charges against them and three were discharged from the dock by Judge Christopher Cornwall after a week-long trial at Burnley Crown Court.

Hussain, however, who has been on remand in custody, was bailed until this morning to await sentence for a separate attack with a half-brick on Pennine magistrate Muhammed Miah.

He earlier admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and committed for sentence by Blackburn magistrates.

The prosecution alleged shopkeeper Moklis Miah was dragged from his car in Burnley and beaten last November after he was confronted by a gang in another vehicle.

One witness claimed Ajad Miah hit Mr Miah with a belt and that Alamin Hussain had been armed with a knife.

Mr Miah was travelling work with an employee when he was allegedly set upon, the jury had been told.

But Charles Brown, defending Alam, suggested Mr Miah had been shouting at the other vehicle and had got out of his car.

The barrister claimed the alleged victim got hold of someone from the other car, there was a struggle and Mr Miah was punched.

Sara Dodd, for Ajad Miah, told the jury Mr Miah had had a knife, had held it to the throat of Ahad Miah and Ajad Miah had gone to defend him.

Charlotte Holland, representing Hussain, said the defendant never had a knife.