A 44- year-old man appeared at Burnley Magistrates' Court, accused of historical sexual allegations.

Steven Mills, of Belgrave Street, Nelson, is charged with raping a girl under 16 and two counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 against one alleged victim and gross indecency with a girl under 14 and inciting a girl under 14 to commit an act of gross indecency, against a second girl.

The defendant had his case sent to Burnley Crown Court, for a preliminary hearing on October 20.

He was bailed on condition he does not communicate with the alleged victims and does not have any unsupervised contact with any person under 16.