AN undercover police officer involved in the Operation Hurricane purge on drug dealers in Blackburn bought a bag of soil for £10.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Keiran Chatburn had "seized the opportunity" when he overheard a targeted dealer refusing to supply the officer.

He burnt the soil to make it look like heroin and then met with the officer to make the deal.

Chatburn, 22, of Sumner Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to obtaining £10 by deception from a woman police officer named Ali.

He also pleaded guilty to going equipped for theft and theft from a car and asked for 11 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

He was jailed for a total of 11 months by district judge Paul Firth who said immediate imprisonment was the only option.

"You have continued to offend during the currency of court orders and while on bail," he said.

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said Chatburn was a heroin user at the time of Operation Hurricane but was not the person police suspected of supplying heroin and cocaine.

He had been at the home of a dealer when he took a call on his mobile during which he refused to supply to a female client.

"This man took the opportunity to meet with the undercover officer, having first burnt some soil, which he then sold to her for £10," he added.