TWO of Burnley's most 'prolific criminals' were today starting jail sentences totalling almost 17 years after they admitted a string of violent offences.

Police welcomed the sentences given to Anthony Horrocks and Steven Hargreaves and described the pair as 'prolific' criminals with a long history of offences.

Detectives said Hargreaves, 25, of Cog Lane had been offending since he was 10 years old and had more than 60 convictions on his record.

He even appeared on the BBC TV documentary 'Wanted' last year, which followed the work of Burnley police, boasting he would never stop committing crime.

The pair were arrested following a series of violent crimes in Burnley earlier this year, including a robbery at Stevenson Memorials where a man was badly beaten, and an attempted burglary of a working men's club where a gun was pulled on a passer-by.

At a hearing at Preston Crown Court yesterday Hargreaves pleaded guilty to the robbery at Stevenson Memorials and was jailed for eight years.

He received a two-year consecutive sentence after admitting the attempted burglary of Baxenden Working Men's Club and the theft of a van, also from Stevenson Memorials.

Horrocks, 30, of Dorset Street was jailed for three-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence after pulling a hand gun on a man walking his dog outside Paradise Working Men's Club, Martin Street, off Colne Road, in February.

He was also jailed for three years consecutive for an attempted burglary at the club.

Alec Heyleden, area manager at Stevenson Memorials, was working in its Cemetery Lane, Burnley, offices one evening in early February when he was robbed.

Police said he was attacked and forced to the floor where he was punched, kicked and hit with a chair before being forced to hand over £40 in petty cash. He was also struck over the head with the petty cash box. He also had £300 stolen from his wallet.

Horrocks and Hargreaves were both arrested after trying to break in to Baxenden Working Men's Club.

Police charged Hargreaves after placing him at the scene of the robbery at Stevenson Memorials by using DNA from a cigarette he had dropped.

Horrocks was charged after he was picked out in an identity parade.

Detective Constable Jimmy North said: "We are very pleased with the sentences passed down on these two men. They are both prolific criminals and these were particularly violent offences."