A PROMINENT Clitheroe boss who stole tens of thousands of pounds from the shop where he worked has said 'sorry'.

David Cowgill, 48, of Church Brow Gardens, pleaded guilty at a Preston Crown Court hearing yesterday to stealing £50,900 belonging to David Marsden.

He was told by a judge that he could be facing jail.

Mr Cowgill, who helped to run Cowgill's toy shop, stationers and newsagents in Market Place, said he started stealing in order to pay off mounting debts.

He said: “I am sorry for what I did. I was desperate and it looked like I was going to go bust so I started stealing from the shop.

“It has turned my life upside down and I am full of remorse. I have no idea what the future holds and it is the waiting that is the hard part.

“I wasn’t spending the money on luxury goods or anything I was just using it to keep up with all the interest payments on the cards."

Mr Cowgill, who has three children ran Cowgill's toy shop, stationers and newsagents with his father John before it was sold to Mr Marsden in 1999.

He continued to run the shop before being accused of theft in September, last year. The theft had happened over the previous two years.

Mr Marsden, who also runs a jewellers in King Street, Clitheroe, said he was shocked when he found out about the theft.

He said: “I was upset and disappointed in him. I had worked with him for 10 years and treated him like one of the family and I am still shocked that he did this.”

The theft was discovered by Mr Marsden’s accountant.

Mr Marsden said: “The figures just didn’t match up and then we interviewed David and he admitted it. I still can’t believe that this has happened and everyone in the community is shocked.”

Cowgill told police in intervew that the amount taken was £30,000.

The prosecution said they would not be seeking a trial of issue over the exact figure.

Mr Cowgill comes from a well-known family and his ancestors launched the The Clitheroe Advertiser and Times before selling it in 1963.

He was the nephew of Bafta award-winning Bryan Cowgill, who was the BBC’s first head of sport, the most successful controller of BBC1, managing director of Thames Television and founder of Grandstand.

Cowgill was remanded on bail until June 11 by Judge Anthony Russell QC who told him: "This is a serious matter.

"You must understand that all sentencing options will be open to the sentencing judge, including a custodial sentence, if the judge considers it appropriate".

The case was adjourned for four weeks so that a pre sentence report could be obtained from the probation service .