AN ATHERTON man who met and befriended another man at the Glastonbury Festival stole a total of £26,000 from him.

Peter Spain met Justin Horne at the annual rock festival but later Horne left and travelled around the country.

Unknown to Horne, Spain had taken five cheques from his friend's chequebook and obtained £15,000 in cash plus a further £11,320.

Spain tracked down Horne who was in hospital in Oxford, but when Horne challenged him Spain denied taking the cash.

Horne managed to get most of his money back but the defendant admitted to spending around £2,000 of it.

The court heard that Justin Horne committed suicide last August, but Spain's actions had nothing to do with his friend's death.

Spain, aged 46, of Spa Road, Atherton, appeared at Bolton Crown Court for sentence for obtaining property by deception. He was jailed for nine months. When he was arrested by police, Spain said that Horne had made it too easy. He said he took the cash so he could enjoy life because he had a serious illness.

Spain had suffered a serious mining injury when he was 21 and had been unable to work since then.

He had started taking painkillers and then became addicted to drugs and his life spiralled out of control.