HYNDBURN MP Greg Pope has vowed to fight the corner of a man who police said was on the run - while he was living and working in his home town.

Johnny Foley, 24, was put on a police "wanted" list after his tag was revoked in February, when he said it was accidentally removed after it broke on a ladder.

But he said he had been working as a painter and decorator in the town for more than three months since his early release from a two-year jail term for "babysitting" a drugs stash in Accrington.

He said police had taken more than three months to try and make an arrest.

Mr Pope said: "If his tag has genuinely broken then it seems unfair to send him straight back to prison.

"It is not a sensible use of public funds. It seems he is trying to turn his life around.

"There's a wider problem here. I will take this up with the probation service and speak to Mrs Foley."

Mr Foley had been staying at his sister's home in Albert Street, Clayton-le-Moors, where he said he had been staying since his release from jail on licence.

Officers went to his sister Donna's home yesterday morning in a bid to track him down.

However he said he was unable to hand himself in until he's "tied up a few loose ends" at work.

He said: "I will surrender myself either today or Saturday. It's such a horrible feeling to know that I will be going back to prison."