A MOTHER whose teenage son was dubbed a crimewave by police has urged parents to clamp down on their children at the first sign of trouble.

The 32-year-old said she blamed herself for her son going off the rails. The boy, 13, and from the Accrington area, cannot be named for legal reasons.

He was given an 18-month detention and training order when he appeared before Hyndburn Magistrates this week after admitting three charges of burglary and one of absconding from a Youth Offenders' Team. He asked for six other burglaries to be taken into consideration.

Over the last two years he has appeared in court more than 30 times, mainly on burglary charges. In May he fled from the youth offending team in Accrington and was caught two days later.

He will serve half his sentence in a detention centre before being let out to be supervised by the YOT.

His mother, who had asked for him to be locked up for his own good, said she had to think of her other sons. Her son had not contacted her since being sentenced, she added.

And she said parents should get tough the first time their children step out of line. "The first sign of even stealing something from a shop -- that's where it all stems from. Take them to the police station. If any of my little ones steal anything I would ring the police and tell them. I really would. Frighten them while they are young. It's no good grounding them or anything like that. They need a short sharp shock while they are young and my son didn't get that.

"When he first stole I talked to him and I used to take him back to the shop and it didn't do any good because they just let him get away with it. You could talk to him until you were blue in the face and it made no difference.

"The more I bought him and the more I gave him it just got more and more and more. Maybe I spoiled him too much and he just got a bit greedy and I just couldn't give him what he wanted. I just don't know."

She praised the police and authorities for their help in dealing with him and said: "He's my child, it was down to me, but they knew I had no control over him.

"I'm relieved he's away because I know he can't do any more wrong round here but I'm angry because I don't know if it's my fault he's turned out that way. I blame myself. I think the main problem is I split up with his dad and he blamed me for that."