TWO Asian girls were threatened and racially abused by a man carrying a knife in Colne Road, Burnley.

Blackburn magistrates heard the blade the girls thought was a knife was recovered by police and turned out to be a six inch nail which had flattened and sharpened.

Kyle Turner, 23, of Old Farm House, Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to possessing a blade in a public place and using racially aggravated threatening behaviour.

He also pleaded guilty to stealing clothing worth £391 from TK Maxx and assaulting security officer Sean Brodie.

He was sent in custody to Burnley Crown Court to be sentenced on December 15.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said the two young Asian women were walking along Colne Road when they were approached by Turner who asked where they were from. He then brandished the blade in the face of one of them before walking to a nearby bus stop. When police arrested him he started shouting racist abuse and when he was asked in interview if he was a racist he said he was.

Turner was seen leaving the TK Maxx store with a large quantity of clothing and was chased by security officer Sean Brodie. When Mr Brodie caught up and took hold of Turner he punched him in the face and then in the chest.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said Turner had been at a low ebb following the sudden deaths of two of his friends.

"This had an extreme effect on him and his way of dealing with it has been to drink," said Mr Taylor. "He knows he is going to get a custodial sentence."