A teenage ‘ring leader’ who organised an attempted knife robbery on a newsagents shop has been locked up for 32 months.

The 16-year-old burst into Top Shop on Willows Lane in Accrington along with two other people armed with a knife, a court heard.

However the late-night raid was foiled after the owner grabbed a golf club from behind the counter and chased them out, a court heard.

The teenager was later identified and pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery on January 4 this year.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said he made ‘extremely full and very admissions’ during his interview with police.

His two accomplices were never caught.

Burnley Crown Court heard how he was listening to music and smoking cannabis with two friends at a flat when he decided they should all rob the shop as they were ‘running out of money’.

He then got some leggings and cut eye holes to use as masks and grabbed three knives, Mr Parker said.

Mr Parker told the court how the teenager went into the shop first to ‘ask for the time’ as a ploy to see if anyone else was inside.

All three then went in shouting ‘give us your money’ with two of them brandishing knives.

The owner pulled a golf club from behind the counter and chased the offenders out of the shop, the court heard.

Mr Parker said the victim, who suffered a cut to his hand, was ‘shocked’ by the incident and said he had instinctively chased them.

The offenders disposed of the masks in a nearby field and went back to carry on drinking, the court heard. After his arrest, the teenager told officers: ‘It was a bit stupid’.

Stuart McCracken, defending, said he accepts ‘full responsibility’ and no property was taken.

He said: “He doesn’t shy away from it. The victim handled himself extremely bravely.

“He must have had a considerable amount of fear.”

Sentencing, Judge Jonathan Gibson said the teenager played a ‘leading role’ and the shopkeeper acted ‘valiantly’