A ONE-LEGGED man warned of the dangers of drink today after he was charged with burglary when he fell through a roof trying to retrieve his shoe.

Roger Pilkington had been out drinking with his girlfriend Irene Wright when the bizarre incident happened. Mr Pilkington, 31, said alcohol was to blame and he felt ashamed of his actions.

Hyndburn magistrates had earlier been told the couple had an argument and Miss Wright threw the shoe from his false leg on to the roof of Harvey Street Community Centre, Oswaldtwistle. He feel through the roof and into a room trying to retrieve it. When police arrived they saw him moving a computer, which he claims was to make way for an easy exit through a window

Mr Pilkington, of Worsley Court, Oswaldtwistle, who lost part of his leg when taking a shortcut across a railway track in 1995, said: "This has been upsetting and embarrassing. When I climbed up to get my shoe I could not get back down again so I went through the roof. I had to move the computer to get to the window to get out and then the police arrested me - even I wouldn't believe it.

"We had both had a fair bit to drink before all this happened."

Miss Wright, 37, of Harvey Street, added: "I wish we could turn the clock back and do it differently but we obviously didn't know what was going to happen."

Mr Pilkington admitted burglary with intent to steal and was made the subject of a 12-month community rehabilitation order. Claire Fanning, prosecuting, had told the court that the keyholder to Harvey Street community centre was alerted when Pilkington was seen inside the premises.

She said: "The circumstances were that he had had a drunken argument with his girlfriend and the thought of looking for anything worth stealing came into his mind."

She added the computer had been unplugged and left by the door, but Pilkington said he had moved it to get out.