A FORMER chef at a Burwardsley inn who had only been employed by them for a fortnight admitted breaking into the hotel packed with customers and starting a fire.

Danny Thomas Roberts, of Wharton Court, Chester, was caught when he ran from the Pheasant Inn in Burwardsley and was chased down by officers and police dogs.

Roberts appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday and admitted damaging property and being reckless as to whether life was endangered. He also admitted burglary.

Roberts denied arson with intent to endanger life and the Crown Prosecution Service accepted this.

The 20-year-old had only been working at the 300-year-old Pheasant Inn on Pennsylvania Road as a chef for two weeks when he decided to break in during the early hours of June 26 and ransack the bar.

He stole £150 from the till and set the bar alight before escaping.

Luckily for the 23 occupants of the hotel that night, a quick-thinking guest spotted the blaze and managed to put out the fire with his coat before it had a chance to take hold.

Owner of the Pheasant Inn Andrew Nelson said: “We couldn’t believe it was him.

“He had excellent references and had worked at a number of other good restaurants.

“There was nothing to suggest any problems with him.

“When we employed him he had asked to live-in at the Pheasant because he didn’t have a car. So he was staying in the staff house on site for free.

“On our side there was nothing that we knew about which would make him aggrieved.”

The pub lost a day’s trading and the damage cost them in the region of £20,000.

Mr Nelson said he felt betrayed and added: “I am just pleased he has pleaded guilty and that we don’t have to go through a trial.

“We would just like people to know The Pheasant Inn is up and running and we were able to get back to normal relatively quickly.”

Roberts will be sentenced during the week starting October 18 at Chester Crown Court.