THE man charged with murdering a Burnley caretaker at the mill where he worked told police: "I did it. I killed that old man," a crown court jury was told.

Cox, 25, of Park Road, Waterfoot, denies murdering Bryan "Joe" Platt at his work place at Calder Marketing, Nunnhills Mill, Blackwood Road, Stacksteads, on February 10.

But in a transcript of his last police interview, read out to the jury of eight women and four men at Preston Crown Court, Cox told of punching 74-year-old Mr Platt in the face, them falling downstairs and him picking up an iron bar and hitting Mr Platt about the head because "he just kept coming back at me."

When Mr Platt fell to the floor in the foyer of the mill, Cox told police: "He was telling me to stop it. Then I picked this fire extinguisher up and squirted it in his face."

Mr Platt's widow Audrey, of Sycamore Avenue, Burnley, wiped away tears and was comforted by family as Cox's confession was read out.

Cox showed no emotion or reaction in the dock.

He then told police while Mr Platt lay moaning with blood coming from his head; he searched his trouser pockets and stole car keys and his wallet.

He told police he then ran back up the stairs twice to collect rucksacks full of clothing he had parcelled up and went to an office, behind where Mr Platt was found several hours later, to steal his mobile phone and charger.

Det Con Alan Prestwich asked Cox: "When you are hitting him with the bar what did you want to happen." In the interview Cox said: "I don't know. I never knew why I did it."

DC Prestwich said: "If you hit someone about the head what do you think is going to happen? You are going to cause him serious injury. Why did you have to hit him so many often with an iron bar." Cox replied: "I don't know."

The trial continues.