A LONE female monitoring CCTV screens for a security company when she looked at one screen and saw a man breaking into the building were she was working.

Blackburn magistrates heard the terrified woman immediately called the police after realising the intruder had entered the cellar from which there was direct access to the area she was working in.

Kevin Norman Hesselden, 26, of Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, pleaded guilty to burglary at Fresh Fire and Security in Nelson and possession of a police baton and a knife at the time, resisting a police officer and four charges of shoplifting on separate occasions. He was committed on bail to Burnley Crown Court to be sentenced on August 6.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said Fresh supplies and installs CCTV systems and provides a monitoring service. The member of staff had started work at around 10 pm and was alone in the building on Vernon Street, Nelson. She was monitoring 149 CCTV screens and just after midnight she heard a banging noise.

"She checked the company's own CCTV system and saw a man in a baseball cap opening the doors to the basement," said Miss Akhtar. "She was scared because the stairs from the basement lead directly to the shop and she was on her own. She said she had always felt safe at work until this happened."

Hesselden ran off after being challenged by police.

Daniel Frazer, defending, said the offence was aggravated by the fact there was someone in the premises but his client had not been aware of that.

"At the time of these offences he had fallen on hard times and had started using drugs again," said Mr Frazer. "He has now got a job and is making efforts to get his life back on track. He hopes you will allow him the opportunity to work with probation and turn his life around, something he has already started."