A BRAVE council worker tried to foil depot raiders - then jumped to safety as they smashed a van through the yard gates.

John Taylor closed and bolted the gates at Hyndburn Council's works yard in Willows Lane, Accrington, when he saw two crooks hitching a council trailer to their van.

But the raiders crashed the van through the gates and made off with the trailer, carrying road repair equipment worth £15,000.

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