ONE man's art turned out to be another man's blanket following the Arts in the Park extravaganza, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Patrick Smith was arrested carrying a tapestry which he had stolen from the show in Corporation Park, Blackburn, on Sunday night.

But Kevin Preston, defending, said Smith thought it was a blanket and had been using it as such on the five occasions that security staff had ordered him to leave.

Smith, 41, who gave a cousin's address in Logwood Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft. He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £45 costs.

Mr Preston said Smith was homeless and, after attending the event, had been wandering around killing time.

"There were various tents and marquees and he decided to get his head down in one of these," said Mr Preston. "He saw what he thought was a blanket and used it to keep warm.

"He accepts he had no right to keep it although he did not know what it was at the time and neither, it seems, did some members of the security team."