THE family of a Whalley pensioner turned detective after a treasured watch was stolen in a burglary at his home.

Albert Ashworth's relatives managed to track down the stolen goods over the internet before tipping police off and helping to put the thief before the court.

Blackburn magistrates heard that the distinctive diver's watch was put up for sale on eBay and the family had to go to £935 to make sure they were the successful bidder.

But instead of them turning up with a cheque, the police turned up with a search warrant at the Bolton home of the vendor.

Alan Simon Kay, 24, of Cartmel Crescent, Tonge Moor, pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property and was fined £140 with £65 costs. John Wood, prosecuting, said Albert Ainsworth's home in Whalley had been burgled in January and a Blancpain diver's watch stolen.

Members of the family including Mr Ashworth's son and son-in-law, made their own inquiries and found the watch for sale on the internet auction site. "To find out the address of the vendor they had to make the successful bid of £935 and armed with that information they went to the police," said Mr Wood. "The watch was recovered from the defendant's home and he accepted in interview he had been given it by a friend who asked him to sell it on eBay. He became suspicious as the bidding went higher and higher but they were splitting the proceeds 50/50 and he accepted that he saw pound signs."

Simon Farnsworth, defending, said his client had no knowledge of the burglary.

"It was an unusual watch but not one that would spring out as having an unusually high value," said Mr Farnsworth.

"He had looked up a watch of the same make, but a different model, and that was worth £200.

"He thought that probably had a higher value than the one he had and he put a lower limit of just 99p on the item."

Mr Farnsworth said that within a few hours of the sale closing the police were at his client's door.