A SHOPKEEPER could not believe his eyes when regular customer Paul Procter walked in wearing a fur coat, high heels and a skirt.

But Malkit Aujla got an even bigger shock when he went to the man's home shortly after and Procter answered the door completely naked.

Procter, 24, of Arran Avenue, Shadsworth, Blackburn, had pleaded guilty to stealing cider, wine and sherry from the Spar shop in Rothesay Road on a previous occasion when sentence had been deferred for four months.

After hearing that Procter had kept out of trouble in the intervening period the magistrates imposed a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered him to pay £75 costs and £13.99 compensation.

Libby Reed, prosecuting, said Procter, an alcoholic, was known to Mr Aujla because he regularly came in to buy alcohol.

Mr Aujla was standing at his till one Saturday when Procter came in, dressed as a woman, and in full view removed bottles of drink and then walked out.

Mr Aujla gave chase and eventually went to Procter's home address.

"This time the defendant was naked and he told Mr Aujla he had not been out of the house that evening," said Mrs Reed.

Stephen Parker, defending, described the facts of the case as "slightly unusual."

"It takes all sorts to make the world go round as this case illustrates," said Mr Parker.

"My client asks me to make the observation that, while he has nothing against cross dressers, he is not one.

"He was drunk at the time and he and his friends thought it would be amusing."