TWO friends have been jailed less than 45 hours after threatening a teenage boy with a knife outside a Blackburn takeaway.

Carl Wood, 33, and 27-year-old Lindsey Standaloft will spend the next eight and a half months behind bars after both pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place.

The pair, both of Islington, Blackburn, had just left a fast food outlet in Darwen Street in the town centre at around 3.30pm on Saturday, when they approached a 14-year-old boy.

The youngster, who had being walking alone, was then threatened at knife point.

The pair were then disturbed and Standaloft hid the weapon behind the Last Orders pub before running off.

When they appeared at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court on Monday, Wood admitted a charge of affray and Standaloft also pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. Magistrates agreed their crimes were so serious they gave them the full force of their powers jailing them for 34 weeks each.

Speaking after the sentencing, PC Sue Moore, who led the investigation, said: “This has been swift justice, with Wood and Standaloft arrested, charged and behind bars within 45 hours of their arrest.

“The young boy that they targeted was left terrified by the experience and their sentences should serve as a warning to others who think that they can use weapons to try to intimidate people.

“Both Lancashire Constabulary and the courts take knife crime very seriously.”

PC Moore added: “Anyone who thinks they can walk around the streets with knives should be mindful they could end up serving a prison sentence within hours of being arrested.”