A FORMER company boss who fled to the Middle East after fleecing more than £600,000 from her employers was caught after returning to the UK when war broke out.

Lorna Farenden flew to the Lebanon when police launched a probe into the thefts - but was forced to return to the UK and give herself up when conflict erupted with Israel.

The mum-of-four targeted Kelbrook firm Entre Prises, and its sister company Jymnova, by putting former employees on the payroll with her bank details so she received the money.

Management at the firm - which makes climbing walls, ice walls and artificial caves - said the fraud had left them fighting to save the business.

Mrs Farenden, 34, pleaded guilty to two charges of theft from her employer at Burnley magistrates' court.

The defendant, formerly of Halifax Road, Nelson, but who told the court she was now of no fixed address, was committed on bail to Burnley Crown Court for sentence on July 13.

Farenden admitted stealing £597,250.70 between February 13, 2001, and May 10, 2006, from Entre Prises (UK) Ltd. She also pleaded guilty to taking £27,662.72 between October 5, 2004, and January 15, 2005, from sister company Jymnova Ltd.

Sgt John Fryer, of Pendle Police, said the investigation first began last year when Entre Prises asked police to investigate a £6,000 discrepancy in the accounts. It was traced back to her, and then the rest was found.

He said: "It's the stuff of TV dramas. It could have just been one little slip-up that she has made and her massive fraud has been discovered."

Police said after the investigation began in May 2006, she fled to Lebanon, telling friends and family she was going on holiday to Spain. She returned and gave herself up around three weeks later, after fighting broke out with Israel.

Sgt Fryer said: "Over a five-year period she systematically defrauded these companies and it might never have been found if that £6,000 hadn't been spotted."

Colin Boothroyd, managing director of Entre-Prises, Colne Rd, Kelbrook, which employs 30 people, said after joining the company Farenden became financial director, then managing director shortly before her con was discovered.

He said: "As a company director she was given a very senior post of trust.

"It came to light she had been acting fraudulently pretty much for the whole period she had been employed with the company.

"In a variety of ways she was deflecting money to herself. She was taking approximately £100,000 to £150,000 a year. It was massive really."

Mr Boothroyd said the extent of the fraud only became clear after he noticed a few thousand pounds missing from the accounts and checked the books in more detail. He said: "I found a few thousand pounds that had been siphoned from the accounts in the last few weeks but, within a few days, we had discovered £100,000 had gone and in the next few weeks it had gone up to £300,000.

"After many months of digging we had uncovered over £600,000.

"She was a gregarious person and a workaholic and had a high level of involvement in the company.

"In hindsight you can see a lot of her characteristics were part of the act in hiding her fraudulent activities.

"She had an energy and enthusiasm and she gave us the feeling we could trust her and she wanted to take the company forward.

"What we did not pick up on was her ulterior motive."

He added: "She is a particularly devious and scheming person and has no regard for her actions.

"There was a Jekyll and Hyde side to her act and her deceit was frightening.

"I was brought in to be the new MD and have been firefighting ever since.

"It's been a horror story and we were lucky to survive, but we are looking forward to the future."