RAIDERS snatched thousands of pounds worth of designer clothing from an exclusive fashion shop after smashing in a side door.

The burglars backed their getaway car into an adjacent pub car park entrance in Corbridge, Northumberland, before kicking their way through the door and grabbing armfuls of Barbour jackets and shirts from the select Norma James shop in Middle Street.

When they were disturbed, they hurled their haul into the car and, with the shop alarm sounding, sped off the wrong way down the one-way street, forcing another motorist to swerve onto the pavement.

The pair were seen by a member of staff in a neighbouring shop, who gave a description of one of them to police.

Norma James shop owner Noreen Crompton said about £6,000 of newly-delivered Barbour stock had been taken.

Mrs Crompton said: “They completely destroyed the door into the empty flat above the shop, which is never used now, but gives access into the main shop.

“They must have grabbed as much as they could very quickly, for they had reversed their car into the narrow entrance of the Black Bull pub next door and blocked it.

“Someone who wanted to be into the pub car park approached them and at that point they just threw everything they had into the car and drove off the wrong way along the one-way street, making another driver swerve to avoid a collision.

“Had they not been disturbed in the car park entrance, they may well have come back in for more.”

The raid happened at 5.45pm on Tuesday, 45 minutes after closing time, and around 60 Barbour jackets and shirts were taken.

Insp Dave Balmer of East Tynedale police said the burglars escaped in a blue Peugeot car. One man, described as white with a grey hooded top, aged about 20 and 6ft tall, was seen near the shop.

“A large amount of property was stolen from the shop, and we are carrying our extensive inquiries into the burglary to trace those responsible,” Insp Balmer said.

“Anyone who saw suspicious activity or witnessed the burglary or the blue car in the area is asked to contact us as soon as possible. It’s also important for anyone who knows the whereabouts of the stolen property or is offered any of it for sale to get in touch.”

Mrs Crompton added: “It’s such a quiet place and this sort of thing never happens here. It’s been a big shock to everyone in the village. My husband Dave and I have owned the shop for five years and we’ve never known anything like this.

“There was a phone call to the shop on January 28 from someone who asked a number of questions about the Barbour stock, and about our opening times. There may be a connection in that, and the police are investigating.

“This is our first full season with Barbour – we ordered about £8,000 worth of stock and about £6,000 worth of it is gone. We have given a computer print-out of what has gone and we just hope people realise that if anyone is offered Barbour stock on the quiet, it could be what was stolen from here.”