SIXTEEN drugs suppliers who peddled misery on the streets of Burnley have been jailed for more than 38 years and a police chief warned other dealers: "You're next".

The gang, snared by an undercover officer as part of the police investigation codenamed Nimrod, were given jail terms ranging from 10 months to almost five years.

Judge Alan Taylor described it as a "particularly appalling story" of small-but-frequent dealing of high purity heroin wraps in the town.

The judge said those who dealt in hard drugs could only expect jail, not only as punishment, but also as a deterrent to others.

And he praised the undercover officer who, he said, may have been in danger had his identity been discovered.

Operation Nimrod is aimed at targeting streel-level dealing in Lancashire and the 16, all of whom have criminal records, were arrested last November after dawn police swoops in Burnley.

Video and audio equipment was used by the undercover officer to capture deals at addresses in the Burnley Wood area, including three houses on Parkinson Street, between last March and July. All but two of the defendants were said to be addicts.

The longest sentence for the drugs offences alone was handed down to the oldest defendant, "mobile dealer" Anthony Knight, 59, who got four years eight months.

Judge Taylor said it was unusual for a heroin addict of his age to still be alive as most died long before then.

The defendant of Gatefield Court, Burnley, who went out in his car selling heroin and who has already served a three and a half year stretch for conspiring to supply Class A drugs, had admitted three allegations of supply and two of being concerned in supply.

Next came Margaret Fielden, 34, formerly of Reed Street, a junkie of almost 20 years, said to have supplied to "all and sundry" and to had got hundreds of pounds a week from her activities, and Wayne Sawley, 29, then of Parkinson Street, both of whom dealt from their homes.

The judge described the two defendants as "serious drug dealers" in Burnley.

Sawley, who struck only two months after being released from jail, and Fielden were each given four years three months, but Sawley must serve an extra six months unexpired from a previous sentence.

Fielden, whose home was made subject of a closure order under anti-social behaviour legislation last July, had admitted seven supply charges and one of being concerned in supply. Sawley pleaded guilty to five supply-related counts.

Antoinette Heap, 43, of Holly Street, then living at Parkinson Street was said to have had a ready supply for whoever came to the house looking for drugs. She was sent down for three years after pleading guilty to four supply charges, one count of being concerned in supply and one of drugs possession.

Ivor Smith, 34, of no fixed address, said to be a regular supplier and who dealt on the steps of Burnley Magistrates' Court, received three years four months. He pleaded guilty to three supply charges.

Craig Royle, 39, of Parkinson Street, got the same term, after supplying heroin for six people. He admitted two supply counts and one of possession.

After the hearing, Detective Inspector Sam Birtwell said Operation Nimrod, which had been running for about three and half years was a well-established tactic for catching street level dealers and would continue.

He said: "The sentences handed down today, some of which are substantial, should act as a deterrent to anybody considering becoming involved in supplying Class A drugs."