A MAN who claimed that a bomb had been planted outside a Blackburn leisure centre has been jailed for three years and branded as a danger to the public.

Francis McGarr rang the emergency services to say that a vehicle packed with Semtex had been left outside the Waves swimming centre.

His hoax was aggravated by the fact that it took place just several weeks after he had finished a two-year sentence for a similar offence.

A judge at Preston Crown Court told the 48-year-old: "In the present climate and the apprehension of a terrorist attack, such offences as these must be regarded and marked by the courts as of the most serious".

McGarr, of Birch Hall Avenue, Darwen, had pleaded guilty to making a false communication.

The court heard that on the night of April 29 he rang the police to say there was a bomb in a vehicle on the car park of Waves swimming pool, Blackburn.

Minutes later, he rang a second time to see what progress had been made and added that there was 500lb of Semtex in the vehicle.

He was said to have been frank when questioned by police and had written a letter to the court. He had a drink problem.

McGarr had previous convictions for the same type of offence. In May 2002 he was given a two-year term.

In passing sentence, the judge, Recorder James Pickup, said the offence was so serious that only one of custody could be justified.

He told McGarr: "In my judgement, you constitute a danger to the public and you have manifested your danger in your conduct on this occasion.

"You know full well that as a result of communications of this nature, emergency services are diverted from their proper role."