A 10-year-old Blackburn boy has appeared in court and admitted carrying out a robbery so he could get cash for cigarettes.

The town's court heard the boy had committed the offence within a month of his tenth birthday and that he had already received a final warning from police.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted stealing a bike from another boy.

He told police he had later swapped it for a mobile phone which he then sold for just £2.

And when the chairman of the bench asked the boy what he had done with the money he said: "Used it to buy fags".

The boy pleaded guilty to robbery and was made subject to a referral order for nine months and ordered to pay £75 compensation to his victim and £15 costs.

Philip Potter, prosecuting, said the victim was riding his BMX bike when he was surrounded by four boys, one of them the defendant.

He took hold of the handlebars and said if the other boy didn't get off he would beat him up.

The boy was eventually knocked off his bike and pushed and punched as his pockets were searched. The defendant then got on the bike and rode off.

"He swapped the bike for a mobile phone which he sold for just £2," said Mr Potter.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said it was unusual to have a 10-year-old boy appearing before the court. "Clearly you will be concerned that this boy's first ever appearance before the court is for such a serious offence," said Mr Taylor. "He understands that this would have been a nasty incident for the victim."

Mr Taylor said he had spoken to the boy's mother and there were clearly some issues the youth offending team would be able to address if the defendant was made subject to a referral order.