SCOTT Mullen kept a knife concealed in a Blackburn town centre car park so he could arm himself for self-protection whenever he came into town.

But Blackburn magistrates heard undercover police officers working in the Boulevard area saw Mullen recover the weapon.

Mullen, 24, of Nightsafe, George Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

He was remanded on bail until November 14 for reports. A charge of going equipped for theft was withdrawn.

David Hartley, prosecuting, said the officers saw Mullen and another man on the Boulevard and followed them round the back of the Boulevard pub and on to Morrisons car park.

There they saw Mullen lift the other man up while he recovered something from a ledge.

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said Mullen was mindful of recent town centre incidents where people had been attacked and that he carried the knife for his own protection.