A MAN caught burgling a Blackburn home tried to pass himself off as a builder, a court was told.

Wayne Gregson repeated his claim when police turned up. The 27-year-old was given a 12-month sentence when he appeared at Preston Crown Court.

Gregson, of no fixed address, had pleaded guilty to burglary. Miss Janet Ironfield, prosecuting, said the property on West View, Blackburn was under renovation last October.

The owner turned up one morning to find a door had been forced.

All the rooms appeared to have been entered.

Cupboards had been searched and records and other items thrown around. In a kitchen area all the pipes leading to a boiler had been roughly cut through.

A neighbour and his brother-in-law had earlier noticed Gregson in the front garden. He claimed he was a builder who had been asked to look at the property on behalf of a prospective buyer.

This caused suspicion as the home was not on the market. The witnesses went on to look for the defendant and saw him in the kitchen. He climbed through a bay window and managed to run off.

However, the men gave chase, one in a vehicle and one on foot.They caught up with Gregson who still insisted that he was a legitimate builder.