AN assistant at a Clitheroe travel agents used a client's credit card to buy £300 worth of Euros and ferry tickets to France, and then took her boyfriend on holiday.

Blackburn magistrates heard that when police investigated the deception, they found that Rachael Elizabeth Schofield had committed other offences using credit cards and cheques which had been made out to her.

Schofield, 34, of Old Back Lane, Wiswell, Whalley, pleaded guilty to two charges of obtaining property by deception and asked for seven similar offences to be taken into consideration.

She was made subject to a community rehabilitation order for 12 months, and ordered to pay £2,758 compensation.

Neil White, prosecuting, said Schofield was employed at Althams, in Clitheroe, at the time of the offences in June.

A family friend, Michael Ball, had contacted her because he was arranging a stag party to Amsterdam for himself and 10 friends.

He asked her to arrange flights and two nights accommodation, and had given details of his credit card, and one belonging to Christopher Ham, with the instruction to split the cost between the two. Mr Ham later received a bank statement showing payments of £300 and £148.

"The police were notified and their inquiries showed Schofield had bought 450 Euros and two ferry tickets for her and her boyfriend to have a holiday in France," said Mr White.

He said she later admitted seven other offences, all involving client money.

"The people whose details the defendant used are all people who knew her, family friends, or people from previous employment," said Mr White.

Daniel King, defending, said his client was a lady of previous good character who was deeply ashamed of what she had done.

"A tremendous punishment for her is that she now has a conviction for a serious criminal offence, not to mention the shame she has brought on herself and her family," said Mr King.

Mr King said Schofield and her partner had discussed the situation and would discharge the full amount of compensation within two months.