A BURGLAR who targeted a fledgling company has been given a chance to turn her life around.

An eagle-eyed passer-by caught out intruder Joanne McCarthy as she broke into Celebrate Gifts in Accrington.

She had piled up merchandise said to be worth between £25,000 and £30,000, in a loading bay, ready to be driven away.

But before the 36-year-old could flee the scene, the civic-minded member of the public called the police.

McCarthy, of Belfield Road, Accrington, was spotted inside the Cannon Street shop and arrested, carrying £196 she had taken from a charity tin and the till, and sets of keys to two Mercedes vehicles.

She pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal and was committed by Blackburn magistrates to Burnley Crown Court for sentence.

Judge Andrew Woolman gave her a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years.

She was also ordered to complete 200 hours community service and attend for 15 rehabilitation activity days with the probation service.

Prosecutor Philippa White told an earlier hearing, before magistrates, that when police arrived at the shop they knocked on the window and McCarthy ran into a back room.

Later a keyholder arrived and an arrest was made. Boxes of candles, computers, printers and a laptop had been stacked up inside.

No forced entry was made, and the till could only be opened with a PIN number, added Miss White.

Managing director Paul Bloor later thanked the anonymous Good Samaritan who had tipped off police about the raid.

Celebrate Gifts launched in summer 2017 and later clinched a key contract to supply Amazon.