A "DANGEROUS" escaped prisoner who spent three months on the run has been snared by police in Blackburn.

Raymond Marsden, who escaped from jail while serving a sentence for stabbing a man, was caught in the early hours of Saturday morning in the Higher Croft area, ending a three-month police hunt.

The 36-year-old was serving a two-and-a-half year sentence at Kirkham Open Prison, north of Preston, after stabbing a man in a drug-related argument.

But Marsden absconded three months after being put behind bars and had been on the run since April.

Marsden's details were circulated to police stations across Lancashire after his escape.

He was arrested at around 2am on Saturday for being unlawfully at large after being pursued by two police officers in Crosby Road. He has been returned to prison.

Police today said they were relieved a dangerous man had been caught.

Duty Inspector Phil Davies said: "He was sighted by patrolling officers. The police are delighted that a dangerous man who was unlawfully at large has now been captured and is back where he is meant to be."

Marsden was convicted of unlawful wounding for the stabbing incident earlier this year.

He was sentenced in January at Preston Crown Court but was cleared of attempted murder and an alternative allegation of wounding with intent.

Marsden punctured the lung of his victim, Derek Bowes, on May 27 last year while he was lying on the settee.

Mr Bowes was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after the assault at his home in Cutler Close, Blackburn.

The clash was thought to have followed an argument over drugs.