A 24-year-old Blackburn man phoned police and told them he was armed with knives and a machete and intended to kill his girlfriend, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that the woman and her children were moved to a safe house while the threat was investigated.

But all the time Mark Anthony Leggat was at his aunt's house drinking, and he had no weapons.

Leggat, of Coniston Road, pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill. He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Charlotte Crane, prosecuting, said initially Leggat contacted the police and asked them to attend his home address because there was trouble with his ex-partner. She had asked Leggat to leave and the police did the same.

She said that later the same evening he called the police again and told a communications operator that he was going to kill his girlfriend with knives and a machete.

"She was in the house with her two children, both under five years of age, and the police were sufficiently concerned to move her to a place of safety," she said.

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said Leggat had been baby-sitting their children and there had been trouble when his ex-partner returned from a works Christmas party.

"He initially rang the police because he thought they may be able to pour oil on troubled water,"said Mr Church-Taylor. "He left without incident but accepts that later, in drink, he rang the police communications room and made the threat. He was never in the vicinity of the house and did not have the knives or machete that he mentioned."