A MOTHER-of-three who flouted an anti-social behaviour order by taking her childen to see Burnley's Christmas lights kept her freedom.

The town's magistrates heard how pickpocket and thief Susan Howarth, 38, was banned from the centre by the two year ASBO but was spotted by police the night the festive lights were switched on.

Howarth told police she just wanted to see her son's face when the lights were turned on.

The court was told she had not been in any shops - except when an officer asked her to step into Woolworths so he could hear his police radio over the noise.

The defendant, of Brunswick Street, Burnley, admitted breaching the anti-social behaviour order on November 15 - an offence which carries up to five years in prison.

Howarth, who has already flouted it twice, was given a 12 month conditional discharge and must pay £30 costs.

The bench told her breaching an ASBO was serious- but normally people who had done it had committed a further offence and she hadn't.

Amran Baber, defending, said Howarth had not offended since March 2006, apart from breaching the ASBO.

She had not gone into any shops and had not caused anyone harassment, alarm or distress.

The defendant had wanted to be with her children for the lights switching on.