A 62-year-old turned criminal conman to try and get the lease and stock of a well-known Rossendale pub, a court was told.

David Rigby wrote a cheque on an account which had been closed and also altered a Woolwich Building Society statement to read he had £43,000 -- when he actually had £3,000 in savings. He did not have the funds to buy either the lease or the stock at The Glory in Loveclough, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Rigby, who committed the offences three years ago, avoided jail after a judge said he had waited a long time for the case to be resolved.

Judge Beverley Lunt added although the defendant had not caused anybody any loss, he had caused inconvenience to his victims and what he had done was criminal.

Judge Lunt went on: "You are 62, of previous good character and still working. You are good other from this."

Rigby, of Wheatley Lane Road, Fence, admitted two counts of forgery.

He was fined £2,000 with £560 costs and was warned he would face 45 days in jail if he did not pay up.

Mark Stuart, defending, said: "There was no loss to anybody. The defendant was getting the lease, not getting the actual pub."