A TERMINALLY ill man succeeded in stopping a female burglar escaping from his Middlesbrough home, a court heard.

Helped by his wife, the frail man wrestled 22-year-old Kimberley Ward to the ground while the police were called.

The mother-of-one, of Ayresome Street, Middlesbrough, appeared at Teesside Crown Court before Judge Peter Fox, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, for sentencing on charges of burglary, handling stolen goods, and assault with intent to resist arrest.

Martina Connolly, prosecuting, said the wife of a cancer sufferer answered the front door to a postman early on May 8, leaving her door unlocked after the call.

Shortly afterwards, the woman saw Wade standing in the dining room of her house.

The court heard how she then noticed Wade holding her cigarette lighter and asked Wade to leave.

When the intruder refused to go, the frightened woman called for her husband - who confronted Wade and asked his wife to telephone the police.

It was at this point, said Ms Connolly, that Wade attempted to flee, lashing out at the couple - who managed to pin her down until the police arrived.

As a result of the incident, the sick man suffered bruising and was left feeling anxious and unsettled, while his wife was traumatised.

Forensic tests on a gold earring and a cigarette butt found in the house linked Wade to the offence.

The court was also told how the charge of handling stolen goods arose when a search of Wade's mother's home uncovered two stolen benefit books, which she claimed she found in the street.

Robin Turton, defending said Wade, who has a young child, got into difficulties because of her addiction to heroin and through mixing with drug users.

But, he said that during her time in custody and since her release last month she had stopped taking heroin and had avoided other users.

Imposing a rehabilitation order for three years, Judge Fox told Wade she should be "terribly ashamed'' of what she had done, and warned her that she would face a long prison sentence if she did not abide by the order. Her progress, he said, would be reviewed at regular intervals.