A MAN who was discovered trying to steal from a community centre told police he had fallen through the glass roof when he went to recover the shoe for his false leg, a court heard.

Roger Pilkington said his girlfriend had thrown the shoe on to the roof after they had had a drunken argument.

Pilkington, of Worsley Court, Oswaldtwistle, pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary with intent to steal when he appeared before Hyndburn magistrates. He was made the subject of a 12-month community rehabilitation order.

Miss Claire Fanning, prosecuting, said the keyholder to a Harvey Street community centre in Oswaldtwistle was alerted when Pilkington was seen inside the premises. He escaped but police later apprehended him.

He admitted he had got into the centre's IT room after his shoe prints were discovered on a photocopier.

Miss Fanning added: "He said that the shoe to his false leg had been thrown onto the roof after a row with his girlfriend. He went for it and fell through the closed roof."

A computer had been unplugged and left by the door, but Pilkington said he had only moved it so he could get out.

"The circumstances were that he had had a drunken argument with his girlfriend and the thought of looking for anything worth stealing came into his mind," Miss Fanning added.

Pilkington, who is unemployed, was also ordered to pay costs.