Machete thug terrorised city shopkeepers

A man terrorised four shops with a machete during a violent 20-minute spree in Preston.

- by Sean Gleaves

Joshua Tattersall, 25, of Ambleside Road, Ribbleton, brandished the weapon in a series of attempted raids on the evening of April 18. Masked and armed, he targeted shops in close proximity to each other in a shocking burst of criminal activity.

Tattersall's spree began at 6.39pm when he stormed into a shop wearing a balaclava and demanded cash from the till.

The quick-thinking shopkeeper raised the alarm, forcing Tattersall to flee empty-handed.