A CONMAN got cash out of a Copster Green hotel owner after telling a tearful tale.

And Blackburn magistrates heard that Mukhter Singh pulled the same con on a woman living in Clayton-le-Dale just three days later.

The court was told that Singh claimed to be on his way back to Cumbria but had run out of petrol in the Ribble Valley.

But in fact he lived in Preston and had no intention of returning to repay the money as promised.

Singh, 57, of Newton Road, Ashton-on-Ribble, pleaded guilty to stealing £30 from Arthur Fisher, owner of the Brown Leaves Hotel, on November 8 and theft of £10 from Ann Marie Hollings.

The magistrates adjourned the case until January 9 for pre-sentence reports and Singh was remanded on bail until that date.

Bill Maude, prosecuting, said Mr Fisher had been unloading his car when Singh drove on to the car park of his hotel. He said he was on his way back to Kendal and asked Mr Fisher to lend him £50 for petrol which he promised to repay the following day.

"At first Mr Fisher refused and started to walk away but Singh was quite persistent," said Mr Maude. "His eyes started to fill up with tears and Mr Fisher felt sorry for him. He eventually gave him £30 and Mr Singh asked for a business card before he left."

As Singh drove off Mr Fisher took his registration number and when he had not returned in four days reported the incident to the police.

Three days later Singh knocked on the door of Ann Marie Hollings. He told her he had come to East Lancashire to meet someone but had missed them. He said he needed money for petrol to get back to Carlisle.

"Again, Mrs Hollings was reluctant to part with any money but eventually he persuaded her," said Mr Maude.

He said that when interviewed Singh admitted he had never intended to return the money.

"He agreed he had tried this type of deception about 10 times in the weeks preceding the offence," said Mr Maude.

Singh said he apologised sincerely and it would not happen again. He said he was on disability and has cataracts in his eyes. He said he had "done it twice".

"I haven't done it 10 times," said Singh.