PEOPLE across East Lancashire were put on alert today after an escaped convict remained on the run.

Police today warned people in Darwen and Accrington to be on their guard as Lee Holden, 24, spent his eighth day at large.

Holden, of Vernon Street, Darwen, was serving an 18 month sentence for burglary at Sudbury Prison, near Ashbourne, in Derbyshire, when he was found to be missing at the 12.45pm role check on Tuesday, July 3.

Holden, who was described by a judge in November last year as being "quite a bit of a nuisance" has been convicted of burglary 12 times since December 1996.

A court heard how he was also arrested three times in the space of 24 hours for offences of dishonesty in 1998.

He was convicted and sentenced for his latest offence at Burnley Crown Court in April this year. A second burglar, David Smith, 29, was returned to Lancashire's Kirkham Prison yesterday after being arrested in the Circus pub, Darwen.

Smith, of Woodvale, Darwen, escaped three days ago after being reported missing at the prison's 4pm roll check.

He was just over one year through a five year sentence after being convicted of burglary at Preston Crown Court in February 2000. Prison chiefs today said it was not yet clear how the prisoners escaped but it was suggested that Holden may have absconded during a work placement session.

Sergeant Andrea Bradbury from Darwen police said: "I'm extremely pleased with the efforts of the officers at Darwen after we managed to return this prolific burglar to custody.

"But we would warn people that Lee Holden was active in both the Darwen and Accrington areas and was last arrested in Oswaldtwistle before he was sent to prison.

"The public should be aware in both these areas that he is at large."

A spokesman for the Prison Service said: "We can confirm that a prisoner absconded from Sudbury Prison.

"He was serving a one year, five month and 24 day sentence for burglary and was found to be missing at the 12.45pm roll check.

"David Smith also absconded from Kirkham Prison. He was serving five years for burglary and was found to be missing at the 4pm roll check.

"Both of them were detained in open prisons where prisoners are allowed to go outside for things like work placements.

"To do this they must go through a thorough risk assessment to see whether they can be trusted in open conditions.

"If they are seen to be trustworthy, security measures are lessened and people are free to walk outside the prison but on occasions people abuse this trust."

It was, however, made clear that Smith could not have escaped during a work placement as they are not carried out on Sundays, the day on which he went missing.