A FORMER landlady has described how she 'lost everything' when a book-keeper stole £26,000 from the pub's accounts.

Linda Summersgill, 52, was forced to close the Waggoners Inn, in Manchester Road, Burnley, last year, after Damien Burbridge left the business in financial ruin.

Appearing at Burnley Crown Court, Burbridge, 32, of Kirkside View, Hapton, admitted three charge of fraud totalling £26,171.57, committed in 2008.

But he denied 16 further allegations involving about another £14,000 and the counts will be left to lie on the file on the day of sentence.

Judge Philip Butler told him imprisonment was now a possibility.

Linda said Burbridge, who was a family friend, offered to do the pub’s books to relieve some of the pressure she was under after her daughter was diagnosed with cancer, aged just 30, and her mother fell seriously ill.

She said: “To do something like that, knowing what I was going through in my personal life, I just think it’s terrible.”

According to Linda, she owned 75 per cent of the lease, while her business partner Jeremy Greenwood owned the other 25 per cent.

She said was seven years into a 20 year lease when she had to leave last March.

And she had intended to sell her share for around £130,000 in the future before Burbridge’s actions forced her to declare herself bankrupt.

She said: “I lost everything - it was horrible. I could not believe what he had done. At the time when he was doing it I don’t think he realised the effect it would have on so many people. We had 16 members of staff at the pub and they all lost their jobs.”

At its peak Linda said the Waggoners was serving around 1,000 meals a week and was ‘the busiest’ pub in Burnley.

After leaving the pub, one of the regulars who owns The Mix cafe bar, in St James’ Row, Burnley, gave her a job.

She said a number of the former Waggoners regulars had been in to wish her well.

Following a short period of closure the Waggoners re-opened under new ownership last year.

Burbridge, who has no previous convictions, was bailed until June 24 for a pre-sentence report.

Judge Butler told him: "You must not be under any illusions.

"Any offences of this kind, committed in these circumstances, in breach of trust, give the court power to pass a sentence of imprisonment, but all options will be open."