A-50-YEAR-OLD man who went to the opticians at Asda in Burnley armed with a knife was looking for his brother.

Blackburn magistrates heard Michael Thomas Reed had earlier told his sister he was going to kill their sibling who who claimed was trying to cheat him out of his inheritance.

The court was told Reed took a taxi from his home in Darwen to the Burnley store where his brother, William Reed, works as an optician.

Reed, of Birch Hall Avenue, Darwen, pleaded guilty to affray, making threats to kill and possessing a knife in a public place. He was committed on bail to Burnley Crown Court to be sentenced on October 2.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said William Reed was on his way to work at Asda when he received a message from his sister.

She warned him that "our Mick" was on his way to the shop and said he was going to kill him. He then received a message from a colleague saying his brother and turned up at the shop and was behaving "strangely."

"Mr Reed saw a police patrol and they accompanied him to work," said Miss Akhtar. "When the defendant was told to take his hands out of his pockets he pulled out a knife. He became aggressive and had to be struck with a baton and PAVA sprayed before he could be arrested."

Daniel Fraser, defending, said his client was not a violent man and had no intention of carrying out the threat.

He said there were four siblings and their mother died in December 14.

The idea was that the estate, which included a house, would be shared between the four of them," said Mr Fraser. "The house hasn't been sold and the money hasn't been handed over."

Mr Fraser said Reed and his other brother had been living in the house in question and the victim had tem evicted.

"My client feels his brother, William, is trying to keep everything for himself and my client is not getting his fair share," said Mr Fraser.

"He went to Burnley to have it out with his brother face to face. He had no intention of killing him or doing him any harm although he accepts using the words to his sister."