Officers raided a house in Lytham Road, Ashton-on-Ribble yesterday and arrested a man, 51, and a 59-year-old woman as part of a European-wide animal rights extremism raids.

They are still being questioned by police from Hampshire where the operation is being co-ordinated.

About 300 officers from across the UK and parts of Europe were involved in the "substantial'' operation, which was part of an investigation into criminal activity linked to animal rights extremism, a police spokesman said.

Warrants were issued to enter and search premises in Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, London, Merseyside, Worcestershire, Lancashire, Northumbria and Yorkshire as well as Belgium and the Netherlands.