A FORMER council finance officer faces jail after stealing more than £29,000 from the estate of a dead pensioner.

Sarah Gardner, aged 28, was living in Bolton while working as a temp for Salford Council's social services department.

She dealt with the finances of people receiving care and those who died with no-one to look after their affairs.

Magistrates heard that Gardner had access to the bank account of "close friend" Judith Kirby, an elderly woman who died in December 2005.

By July last year she had taken £29,455 from the account through direct debits and cash machine withdrawals. Gardner had a Halifax Bank card for Mrs Kirby's account.

Separately, the agency worker also found out the pin number of dementia sufferer Clara Allen's bank card and withdrew £1,700 from the care home resident's account.

She now faces a possible prison sentence after admitting four charges of theft and deception when she appeared at Salford magistrates' court.

Tina Cunnane, prosecuting, said: "She admitted the offences and said she was a close friend of Mrs Kirby's, and said that she had given her her credit card.

"She needed the cash to pay off her own debt and her sister's debts."

Gardner, who now lives in Boston, Lincolnshire, was given unconditional bail after magistrates sent the case to Manchester Crown Court for sentencing.

A council spokesman said: "These serious offences were discovered thanks to our internal procedures and by effective monitoring of our financial systems.

"We called in the police to investigate as soon as they were brought to light.

"This triggered a review of our accounting systems and we would like to reassure everyone that we remain vigilant so we can make sure we continue to have the right measures in place."