A MAN inadvertently stole urns containing the ashes of a woman's husband and daughter, a court heard.

Kirk Telford is standing trial for burglary at Bolton Crown Court for stealing a bag containing the urns and a wedding photo album from a property in Chorley Old Road between August 12 and 14 last year.

Telford denies the charge.

Andrew Evans, prosecuting, told the court how Telford entered the flat via a back window.

The upstairs flat of the building was occupied by Christine Foster but the landlord was letting her use the downstairs property to store her possessions as she was in the process of moving out.

Mr Evans said that the wedding album and the urn containing Mrs Foster's husbands ashes were recovered but her daughter's have never been found.

He added that the urns have 'tremendous sentimental value' and that the prosecution believes that Telford, aged 35 of Chorley Old Road, took the bag as he believed it contained valuable items.

A fingerprint that matched Telford's was found on the inside of the window that it is believed the property was entered through.

Telford claims that he was in the rear yard of the property for a different purpose and while he was there saw that the window was open and closed it and that is why his fingerprint was found.

Once the print was analysed and matched to Telford, he was arrested and subsequently charged.

He claims that somebody else stole the bag from the flat and that his print was on the inside of the window because he had to pull himself up to close it.

Mrs Foster was only made aware that the urns were missing when she was contacted by the police because she was moving.

The urn and photo album were found on a doorstep a short distance from Mrs Foster's address. Mr Evans said that the prosecution believes Telford dumped the items when he realised they were not valuable.

The trial continues.