POLICE investigating a burglary in which a couple were tied up and terrorised by masked intruders have arrested three men.

Officers carried out raids in County Durham and Manchester this morning (November 28) and detained three suspects in connection with the incident at a remote Northumberland village.

It follows an aggravated burglary on June 26 which shocked the quiet village of Capheaton in rural Northumberland.

Three men wearing balaclavas broke into the house at 11pm and tied up the householders, who ran a jewellery shop in the next village of Kirkhale.

While two of the intruders ransacked the house, stealing credit cards and cash during an hour-long ordeal for the couple, the third took their car keys and drove to the shop where more items were stolen.

At the time, police said the couple had been left "shaken and distressed" by the break-in and Crimestoppers later offered a £3,000 reward for information.

This morning, officers from Northumbria Police backed up by colleagues from Durham Constabulary and Great Manchester Police, executed a number of search warrants as part of the investigation.

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: "A 47-year-old man was arrested in the Manchester area and two men, aged 48 and 28, were arrested in the Durham area on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery.

"The arrested men are currently in custody and are helping police with enquiries".