A 20-year-old Edinburgh man who came to East Lancashire for a night out with friends trashed his hotel room, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard Dean Owens caused £745-worth of damage in the wrecking spree which started as a joke involving the fire extinguisher.

Owens, of Loganlea Gardens, pleaded guilty to damaging fixtures, fittings and electrical appliances at the Travel Lodge, Darwen.

He was ordered to pay £745 compensation and £60 costs.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said CCTV showed four men used the room, which was against hotel policy. The CCTV showed two men leaving via a fire escape in the early hours of the morning and the others leaving at 11.10 am.

Curtains had been pulled down, bedding was wet, light fittings and bulbs were smashed, the TV was broken, the telephone was broken and there were cigarette burns in the bed. There were coffee stains on the walls and paint had been stripped off in places.

Owens accepted sole responsibility, despite the presence of the other men.

Michael Blacklidge, defending, said Owens accepted his behaviour amounted to vandalism and there was no excuse.

"His behaviour lacked all common sense and he struggles to explain why he behaved in this way," said Mr Blacklidge. "It started with two of them returning home after the others and turning the fire extinguisher on them for a joke. That set off a chain of events which resulted in the damage."