A prolific burglar who preyed on elderly Bury residents has been jailed.

Ian Graham, aged 51, of Tennyson Avenue, admitted four counts of burglary at Bolton Crown Court.

Graham asked for 49 other offences of burglary and 10 fraud offences to be taken into consideration.

He has today been sentenced to a total of six years in prison.

The charges relate to burglaries at the home of elderly residents in the Radcliffe and Whitefield area.

Graham went to the home of an 87-year-old woman on Haworth Walk, Radcliffe at 1.10pm on Monday June 15 2009.

He told the elderly woman he needed to check her radiators for toxic fumes and was allowed in.

He charged the woman £20, but she said she only had £10 to give him. He then asked for a drink and told the woman he would give her a claim form which would allow her to be reimbursed.

While she was making a drink he stole a large amount of cash and left.

Graham went to Gingham Court, Radcliffe and called at the home of an 88-year-old woman at 2pm on Wednesday June 24 2009, Graham was with another woman and the pair led the victim to believe she knew them. They stole some cash from her purse after asking for a glass of water before leaving.

Graham went to the home of a 71-year-old woman on Elms Close, Whitefield, at about 11am on Tuesday June 30 2009, The victim let Graham in and he asked her, "Have you got £100 to lend me until dinner time?"

Out of fear the woman gave Graham £40.

He then returned at 9am the following morning. The woman let Graham back in, thinking he had come to return the money.

Graham asked for more cash but the woman refused. He then left and police were called.

Graham was subsequently arrested and admitted the thefts, claiming he had stolen the money to fund his drug habit. He then admitted a number of other offences.

Detective Inspector John Mazzolai, from the Volume Crime Team at Bury, said: "Graham is a persistent offender who targeted society's most vulnerable people to feed his drug habit.

"His story is one that truly warns of the consequences of drug addiction.

"As a Force and on division, we are determined to bring offenders to justice who feel the need to break into people's homes, taking whatever they can find.

"Burglars violate the place where people should feel the safest and I hope the local community feel a lot safer now he is behind bars.

"Despite his admission and level of remorse I have little sympathy for anyone who preys on the elderly and he will now spend a considerable amount of time in prison where he may be able to get the help he clearly needs."