TWO burglars who targeted an elderly Darwen woman in a "professional" house raid have been jailed for a total of eight-and-a-half years.

Preston Crown Court heard that one of the pair - Brett Duxbury - even went back to the victim's home the following month in a bid to steal again.

He and co-defendant Craig Cunliffe were secretly recorded on CCTV cameras when they carried out their joint raid at the Richmond Terrace property.

Duxbury, 33, of Lower Barnes Street, Clayton-le-Moors, pleaded guilty to one charge of burglary and one of burglary with intent. He was given a total of five years prison.

Cunliffe, 45, of Hartley Avenue, Accrington was given three-and-a-half years for one offence of burglary.

The first offence against 83-year-old woman was on February 22 this year. She answered a knock on the front door, to find Cunliffe there.

He claimed he had collided with her rear yard wall with his bike and needed to take her outside to check the damage.

He went on to show her the wall, but the woman said "There's no damage".

On going back into her home she realised that a purse and contents had been stolen from her handbag in the living room.

Mr David Macro, prosecuting, said police had installed CCTV cameras at the house due to previous incidents. The woman had been taken advantage of by others in the past and things stolen from the house.

One camera had been positioned at the front and the other at the back.

"When the police checked the cameras, the two offenders were shown.

Duxbury had gone into the house at one point and carried out the theft" said Mr Macro.

The following month Duxbury returned to the same address, claiming he was there to mend the back gate. However, he was challenged by the woman's son and detained at the scene.

He went on to tell police he had a £280 a week heroin addiction.

Both defendants had dozens of offences on their criminal records, including burglary. Each had offended against an elderly person in the past.

Mr Neil Usher, for Duxbury, said his client had been "hopelessly addicted to heroin".

"Arguably, this was a professionally planned burglary. It was despicable of him to pick on her and to go back".

Mr Mark Stuart, for Cunliffe, said he had only committed the one offence against the elderly victim. He had an "extremely long record", the court was told.

The judge, Recorder Maurice Greene, told the defendants "This was in effect a professional burglary, pre-planned. You knew exactly what you were doing.

"There was a deliberate targeting of an elderly victim".