A DAD made a citizen's arrest after finding a Christmas Day burglar hiding under his daughter's bed.

Blackburn magistrates heard that police had already searched the house and left and the burglar had to be detained by his intended victim.

And the court was told that Steven Smith found the culprit when he was tidying up the mess he believed the burglar had made.

Scott Mullen, 26, of Gordon Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to burglary at a house in Shorrock Lane and was committed in custody to Preston Crown Court for sentence. John Wood, prosecuting, said police were called to the house at 8.15pm after being alerted by a neighbour. The house, which had been broken into, was searched but nobody was found.

The court was told that Mr Smith had returned from a relative's house where he and his family had gone for Christmas dinner. "Mr Smith was tidying up the mess when he heard a noise under his daughter's bed," said Mr Wood. "He found Mullen hiding inside the divan bed and he detained him until the police returned. He had some jewellery in his pocket which had been taken from Mr Smith's daughter's dressing table."

Paul Schofield, defending, said his client accepted there were a number of aggravating features to the case and did not wish to argue against being sent to the Crown Court.

"His incarceration can be gauged in years rather than months," he said.