A MOTHER reported her son to police after finding a stash of heroin under his bed while cleaning his room.

And now 21-year-old Martin Walden is starting an 18-month prison sentence after admitting possessing the drug with intent to supply.

Burnley Crown Court was told that Walden, who worked as a car valeter, was a "drugs mule" minding the stash to pay off an amphetamine debt.

Tim Brennand, prosecuting, told the court the defendant's mother lived at Sunnybank Street, Haslingden, and found 20 small wraps of powder- 2.67grammes of heroin in his room last August.

The drugs were of 71 per cent purity, which was in the higher range for drugs sold on the streets.

Walden was arrested and interviewed and admitted possessing the heroin.

He had 12 previous convictions. In 2003, he was fined for possessing cannabis resin.

Martin Hackett, defending, said the offence would never have come to light but for the defendant's mother.

She had asked him to leave home after he stole from his family. He left and while cleaning his room she then found the drugs under the bed, Mr Hackett said.

Mr Hackett said the defendant, who worked at Bennetts in Whalley Road, Shuttleworth, no longer took any form of illegal drugs. He was in a stable job and relationship and had not spent any time in custody, the solcitor said.

Walden claimed he did not get any money for his services as a "warehouseman" over eight weeks and was handing the drugs back to the owner.

But Judge Heather Lloyd told the defendant, who did not use heroin, that he knew the drugs were destined to be supplied to users in the area and he played an important part in that.

She said: "There was obviously a benefit to you. You had a debt that was presumably being paid off by this."

Walden, care of Fairfield Avenue, Waterfoot, admitted possessing heroin with intent to supply and had been committed for sentence by magistrates.