A TEENAGER has been cleared of taking part in a terror knife raid on an Accrington off-licence four years ago.

Charles Rooney, 18, of Midland Street in the town, was found not guilty of robbery by a Burnley Crown Court jury after a two-day trial. He had denied the charge and was discharged from the dock by Judge Edward Slinger.

The prosecution had alleged the defendant was the second of two masked men who burst into Cellar Five, Burnley Road, when assistant Cymone Carter was cashing up. The first was said to have been armed with a knife and to have ordered Miss Carter to hand over cash.

Miss Carter had fought back tears as she had told the jury how a knife was put in her face. But, the court was told, she told the man he wasn't having any money, slammed the till shut on his fingers and pressed the panic button.

She claimed she recognised the two alleged robbers, who had stockings over their faces and shouted they were stupid as she knew who they were.

Cross-examined by John O' Shea, defending, Miss Carter agreed she must have seen the man by the door, said to be Rooney, for only a couple of seconds.

She told police the man alleged to be Rooney had been the one armed with the knife, but later told police she had got it wrong.