A 13-YEAR-OLD boy - described as a mini crimewave - is on the run after escaping from custody hours after being remanded by a court.

The boy, from the Accrington area, is thought to have fled from the Blake Street office of the Youth Offending Team in Accrington while he was waiting to be taken to a secure unit.

Police are unable to release his details after magistrates issued an order preventing them being published.

Before his escape he had appeared before Hyndburn Magistrates, who ordered him to be detained while awaiting sentencing for a string of offences.

It emerged today that he had been spotted by his mother last night near his home.

She said today: "He was on the estate last night, he was hanging around with his mates. He said 'I'm not going back, I'm not being locked up,' then he legged it and I rang the police straight away.

"I think he's frightened, he's absolutely terrified. I have told all the neighbours to ring the police straight away if they see him."

At yesterday's hearing the teenager was charged with burglary and breaching his bail conditions, charges for which he entered no plea.

It was his second court appearance this week.

On Tuesday he was bailed by the court after admitting two charges of burglary and asking for four other offences, including burglary and criminal damage, to be taken into consideration.

Sentence for those charges was deferred until June 25, but hours after being released he is alleged to have broken into another house.

Prosecutor Lisa Worsley said only secure accommodation would prevent him from re-offending.

"He pays no attention to supervision orders, no heed to police bail and no heed to court bail," she said.

But the boy's defence counsel, Peter King, said there were other

options open to the court including curfew and tagging.

Presiding magistrate Leslie Timmins deferred sentencing until Friday, June 7.

"Remand to secure local authority authority accommodation is the only way to prevent you from committing further offences," he said.

The boy's mother left court in tears but said it was the best decision.

Before his appearance she had asked magistrates to lock up her son to stop him committing more crimes, saying she was worried about the effect he was having on her three other sons following 30 court appearances.

Police said the youngster was a "mini crimewave" .

Inspector Phil Cottam, of Accrington Police, said today: "We have made extensive enquiries overnight but there's no trace of the lad at the moment.

"I find it extremely frustrating that the system has let us down once again.

"I'm not criticising the Youth Offending Team, they have done their best but there doesn't seem to be any basic necessary measures within the law to actually ensure a young person of this age who is taken into secure accommodation by the courts can be transferred to wherever they should be in a manner that doesn't allow this to happen.

"In terms of those people who have been victims of burglaries, it is very disconcerting for them if someone alleged to have committed the burglaries is back on the streets. We will be making every effort to have him back in custody as soon as possible."

Attempts by the police and the Telegraph to lift an order banning identification of the boy failed yesterday.

Anyone with information about the boy's whereabouts is asked to ring 01254 51212 or the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.