A dangerous criminal who absconded from prison in Preston could be heading for Chatham, police have warned.

Dean Cotter was serving a 13-year jail term after he was convicted of robbery in Weston-Super-Mare, in 2012.

Cotter, 29, had broken into a pensioner’s house and threatened him with a machete, demanding money and the victim’s PIN number.

The thug previously posed for photographs shirtless with a machete.

He escaped from HMP Kirkham on Friday with two others: Liam Martin Byrne and Peter Marron.

Lancashire Police say Cotter is white, 6ft, of medium build, with a tattoo that reads ‘Sarah’ on his neck.

He also has a tattoo with the word ‘midget’ on his right arm.

Cotter is known to have links to Chatham and Bristol.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting log LC-20171223-0065 or email westintelunit@lancashire.pnn.police.uk