A GREEDY burglar had to lower his sights after the bag of swag he had packed up was too big to fit through the hole in the roof he had made.

Blackburn magistrates heard, despite downsizing, Mark McGranaghan was still leaving the designer shop with three jackets worth £2,070 when he was arrested by the police.

McGranaghan, 44, of Cheltenham Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to Burglary at TIME Clothing, King William Street, and going equipped for burglary with an orange handled knife.

He was committed on bail to Preston Crown Court to be sentenced on March 12.

Alex Mann, prosecuting, said McGranaghan had got onto the roof of the building using ladders.

He had caused £1,000 worth of damage in gaining entry to the shop.

Mark Williams, defending, said his client had used the knife to cut a hole in the felt after removing tiles.

"He put a number of items in a bag and then went to leave the same way he had come in," said Mr Williams.

"He had put so much in the bag he couldn't get it through the hole and he had to remove the three jackets, put them in his own bag and then leave."

Mr Williams said McGranaghan was detained outside the shop and all the property was recovered.

He said his client had overcome a heroin addiction but was now in the grip of spice and the offence was committed to fund further purchases of that drug.

Police were called to an 'upmarket clothing retailer' in Blackburn town centre at 2.30am on Saturday.