POLICE who went to speak to a man after being tipped off he was at an address in Burnley found him hiding in the loft.

Blackburn magistrates heard Sid Kieron Greenfield lunged at officers who had to use baton strikes and pepper spray before they could arrest him.

Greenfield, 19, of Devon Street, Darwen, admitted obstructing a police officer. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said police had received information Greenfield was at a house in Burnley.

Mr Robinson said: “He was not located during an initial search but an officer noticed a loft hatch had been recently disturbed. They shouted up a number of times but there was no response. Eventually an officer had to go into the loft where he found the defendant hiding.”

Mr Robinson said officers had to use baton strikes and pepper spray to gain compliance before Greenfield was removed from the loft. Waseem Chowdhary, defending, said his client accepted he had been in the wrong.