A BURGLAR who struck at two Rossendale clubs has won his freedom to try and kick his drug habit.

Father-of-one Wayne Joseph Banham, 34, stole cash from Spring Terrace Working Men's Club, in Rawtenstall, and the town's conservative club a month apart.

The defendant, who was caught after leaving finger and footprints, used it fund his £30-a-day heroin habit, Burnley magistrates were told.

Banham was given a 12-month drug treatment and testing order by the bench, who warned he would be resentenced if he flouted it.

The defendant, of Parkinson Street, Haslingden, who has been in custody on remand, admitted two charges of burglary, as well as driving while disqualified and no insurance. He must pay £74 compensation and was banned from the roads for six months.

Mercedah Jabbari, prosecuting, told the court the break-ins were committed when the defendant was on bail for driving while banned. On February 17, the secretary of Spring Terrace WMC locked up about 11.30pm.

At around 5am the next day, police received reports the alarm was ringing and found the back emergency door had been forced with a metal bar. About £40 cash was missing from a fruit machine.

Miss Jabbari said in the early hours of March 21 the defendant climbed onto the flat roof of Rawtenstall Conservative Club, broke a number of tiles and disabled the alarm system by smashing the control panel. He then stole cash before leaving again via the hole in the roof.

Police recovered footprints which when checked against Banham's trainers.

He was interviewed by officers and made full admissions in respect of the second raid and said he had to fund his heroin habit. The prosecutor added Banham had 64 previous convictions.

Bill Rawstron, defending, said the offences were amateurish and unsophisticated and Banham used brute force to get in to the premises.