A DRUG user who turned dealer to try and clear a debt has been jailed for three and a half years.

And another man also arrested by police on drug offences was given 18 months in prison.

Jonathon Wareing, 35, admitted selling 20 to 30 bags of both heroin and cocaine, over a period of a week and a half.

Wareing, of Haslingden Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to four charges of supplying drugs and two of possession with intent to supply.

And Peter Cunliffe, 41, of Royds Street, Accrington, admitted one offence of concealing a drug and two of supplying cocaine and cannabis.

Preston Crown Court heard that Wareing was seen to emerge from a flat, with over £200 cash in his possession.

When a room was entered, £270 worth of heroin and £850 worth of cocaine were found, as well as a pile of cash.

Wareing was frank with police, explaining he had run up a £1,300 debt.

He said he had been dealing for a week and a half.

"He said he had been selling £10 bags of heroin and bags of cocaine, about 20 to 30 bags of each of the drugs" added Mr McEntee.

Cunliffe smuggled cocaine and cannabis into Wymott prison near Leyland in January. Prison officers intervened when he passed two packages to an inmate.

Mr Francis McEntee, prosecuting, said on another occasion in April Blackburn CID literally bumped into Cunliffe in a chance encounter in the Haslingden Road area and he put drugs in his mouth and swallowed them.

Both defendants had previous drug offences on their records.