A BURNLEY man armed himself with a baseball bat after being told his father's home was under attack by a gang of men.

Blackburn magistrates heard police also heard the report and had dealt with the matter when William James Stott turned up wielding the weapon.

Stott, 26, of Lubbock Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place. He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 60 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said at 4 pm police received a report of a group of men at an address in Lubbock Street causing damage wit baseball bats.

"When the police arrived the males had made off," said Mrs Yates. "They were conducting inquiries when they heard shouting and saw the defendant walking down the street brandishing a baseball bat. A female took the bat off him and told him to calm down."

Richard Prew, defending, said his client had no previous convictions and had acted entirely out of a desire to protect his father.

He said Stott's father had become aware of a female relative suffering domestic violence at the hands of her partner. He had warned him off but that person then turned up with his friends armed with baseball bats.

"It was nothing to do with the defendant but when he heard his father was being attacked he armed himself with a baseball bat and went round to try and warn them off," said Mr Prew. "He was extremely worried about his father and his grandfather, who lives at the same address. He wanted to scare these people off and protect his father and grandfather."