A MAN was shot in the face by an armed robber as he chased him away from the scene of a hold-up.

The fleeing man had just tried to rob a building society agency and insurance office at Ightenhill, Burnley, and was being chased along a nearby street when he turned and fired.

Insurance company director Barry Putson, 51, was hit in the cheek with a pellet from an imitation Luger pistol fired from five yards away. He had the pellet removed at Burnley General Hospital before being allowed home.

The incident occurred at 4.45pm when a gunman entered the offices of Carol Parker's Insurance in Padiham Road, Burnley, near to the Tim Bobbin pub. The office is also an agency for the Furness Building Society.

He demanded money and fled the shop when he was refused. Barry went after him, following him into Ightenhill Park Lane and Clifton Road, where he turned and fired. He then ran off into the Crow Wood area. Police cordoned off a section of Clifton Road, a path leading to Kielder Drive and an area of grass and shrub-covered land off Kielder Drive, where they carried out a detailed search for a weapon.

Armed police, dog handlers and the police helicopter were involved in the search for the gunman. A young worker at the Hair Company hairdressers next door said: "A young man walked into the insurance office and a couple of minutes later came out and shoved a gun down the front of his pants. He made off followed by a man from next door. The next thing I knew the area was full of police.''

The gunman is described as white, in his early 20s, 5ft 8ins tall, of medium build with dark eyes and a rounded face. He was wearing a beige-coloured baseball cap, navy blue jacket with a V-shape at the front. Under the jacket was a light-coloured top with a round neck. He was also wearing blue denim jeans.

A man was arrested and taken to the police station and detained overnight for questioning.

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