WORKERS at a Burnley joinery firm "surrounded" a house when they realised it was being raided -- and replaced the pensioner victim's broken window for free.

Recorder Beverley Lunt said the men, from Wilsons Manufacturing Joiners, had been public-spirited and very kind to the 62-year-old charity worker after her home was targeted during the day.

The judge sent the raider, young father Warren Hamer, 22, to jail for three years and said the victim would probably never feel safe in her home again.

She said that although the defendant, who had been sent to custody for 16 months in September 1999, had pleaded guilty, he had had little alternative after being caught red-handed. The judge said his sentences would get longer and longer if he kept on committing break-ins.

Hamer, of Haworth Avenue, Church, had admitted burglary.

Sue Riley, prosecuting, said the victim had left her home to go to work in a charity shop.

A worker at the joinery firm, which overlooked the woman's house, saw a man running at her window and hitting it hard. The man then climbed onto the ledge and into the premises. The joiner phoned the police and several of his workmates went to the house and guarded both sides, front and back until the police arrived.

Hamer had to climb out through the broken window with an officer. The sitting room had been ransacked and a box containing watches, jewellery, alcohol and cigarettes had been placed on the setee.

The defendant was interviewed and said he had a £50 a day heroin habit. He said he had intended to take anything he could sell but not electrical goods.

The broken window was repaired free of charge by Wilsons.

Roger Baldwin, defending, said Hamer had abused heroin and occasionally used cannabis since he was 16 and all his offences since had been drug-related.

He was now drug-free and wanted to break the cycle of drugs and offending. The offence was committed at 11am when nobody was in thehouse and, although it was ransacked, Hamer did not cause gratuitous damage.

Mr Baldwin said the defendant now realised the upset he had caused. He had not done anything to resist arrest and did not try to get away when he and the officer had to climb down from the window.