Two men burgled a disused hotel late at night.

The owner was staying in a flat at The Park Hotel in Pensarn following previous break-ins.

He was so frightened that he grabbed a knife when he heard a bang outside and saw two people in a rear courtyard and three others trying to climb in.

Prosecutor David Mainstone said that the hotel owners armed himself with the knife because of his fear but fortunately dialled 999 rather than go out to confront them.

Police officers arrived quickly at the scene and two men were arrested.

Nicolas Wayne Foster was arrested at the rear gate and Mathew Ridyard climbed up onto the hotel roof and had to be persuaded to come back down.

An attempt had been made to cut through some copper piping and a bag of tools was found.

Foster, 44, of Roseview Crescent in Kinmel Bay and Ridyard, 22, of Bodelwyddan Avenue in Kinmel Bay, admitted entering Park Hotel with intent to steal on November 4 last year.

Judge Niclas Parry told them they had taken a chance believing the hotel was an easy target.

The owner was so frightened that he had reached for a knife.

But they had pleaded guilty, were quickly apprehended, and there had been no loss.

He placed them both on 12 month community orders and ordered them to carry out 180 hours.

"Take your chance," he told them.

The court heard that the hotel was closed and had been bought as an investment.

But following previous break-ins the owner had engaged a caretaker and also lived on the premises himself at times.

It was the third incident at the hotel within three months and it had left him feeling extremely shaken.

Ridyard had climbed up onto the hotel roof in a bid to flee or hide from the police.

He was eventually persuaded to come down and was arrested.