A MOTHER and daughter hid upstairs after hearing an intruder smash open the front door of their Darwen home in the early hours.

Blackburn magistrates heard that police who arrived minutes later found drunken Wayne Craig Cox staggering around inside. And when he woke in police cells the following day, he could remember nothing of the incident.

Cox, 32, of Birch Hall Avenue, Darwen, admitted damaging a door worth £200 belonging to Joanne Hyde. He was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £200 compensation and £55 costs.

Tom Snape, prosecuting, said Jeanette Snape, 18, had gone to bed around midnight on December 4 and shortly after was disturbed by the noise of a man shouting and singing outside. She ignored the disturbance but about 20 minutes later heard banging on the front door of the home she shared with her mother.

"She heard the front door burst open and at that point ran into her mother's bedroom," said Mr Snape. "They were both extremely frightened, aware that someone was in the house downstairs."

Cox was arrested and interviewed the following morning when he had sobered up. He didn't appear to have any intent when he entered the house but clearly his actions were very frightening for the occupants, added Mr Snape.

John Dewhurst, defending, said: "He doesn't even know why he was in that area, let alone why he broke into that particular house. All he can do is apologise to everyone concerned."