TWO men, one of them masked and the other "hooded", kicked in a house door to question the occupant over threats, a court was told.

Shaun Kenyon immediately called police after hearing loud bangs on the door.

A friend who was down-stairs at the property armed himself with a pair of stepladders and forced the intruders out of the house, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Lee Rainford, who was said to have been wearing a balaclava, was earlier sent to jail for two months.

Accomplice Shaun Rushton, who had no previous conv-ictions, had been given a community order, but failed to turn up to his first appointment. The pair had admitted affray.

Rushton, 21, of Redruth Street, Burnley, admitted failing to comply with the order.

Judge Beverley Lunt said she would give him a chance, but if he breached the sentence she was imposing, he would go to jail.

The judge went on: "You need to take this very, very, seriously.

"You have thrown a chance in the judge's face and I will not stand for that."

The defendant was given 12 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months and 120 hours unpaid work.

Peter Horgan, prosecuting for the probation service, said Rushton had been given 120 hours unpaid work, but did not turn up and had not contacted the probation service to offer any explanation.

The affray was committed last October at 4.45pm when a man wearing a balaclava and armed with a baseball bat appeared in Mr Kenyon's hallway.

Martin Hackett, defending, said Rushton had been fortunate not to go to prison.

"He has spent overnight in custody for the first time and it has had a profound effect upon him," he added.