ECCENTRIC entrepreneur Steve Howard, who has been banned from his local pub for 30 years, has now been OFFICIALLY banished from the Lower Withington hostelry.

The town's magistrates told the whacky chimney sweep-cum-DJ-cum-builder - who owns a steam train and a fire engine - to stay away from the Red Lion for two years after he issued death threats against the landlord whilst being given his marching orders.

Howard, 52, - who also confessed to being barred from the neighbouring Black Swan ten years ago after "falsely" being accused of "mooning" in their car park - was fined £200 in addition to the two-year exclusion order after admitting using threatening behaviour when he appeared in the dock last week.

And afterwards he said "I just saw red. I didn't mean what I said, but I've been barred for a longer period than a murderer serving a life sentence."

He said the original ban began 30 years ago when locals became "jealous" of him, but he declined to give any further information.

And Howard, of Dicklow Cob, Lower Withington, who recently hit the headlines over plans to rival Richard Branson by undercutting him in planned train journeys to London, said he was now socialising in neighbouring Congleton where he was welcome at the town's pubs.

"I throw my hands up, " he said. "I was out of order but I genuinely thought the ban had been lifted."

Debbie Byrne, prosecuting, said: "The defendant entered the pub and the landlord saw him."

"There was a couple and their two young children in the bar having a meal and the landlord told Howard to leave and refunded the price of the pint he'd just bought."

Howard told the landlord: "I'll burn your car and pub and get a hit on you from Manchester for £1,000 or for £500 from Liverpool."

He then threatened to go home to get a gun to shoot the landlord.

Mrs Byrne said: "The landlord phoned the police but the defendant had left the pub. The police went to the defendant's home and he was described as very drunk."

"He admitted to drinking six or seven pints at home that afternoon and if he hadn't been drinking he wouldn't have made the threats."

Trevor Feehily, defending, said: "On the recent occasion Mr Howard had had a conversation with the father of the landlady who said that there would be no problem if he did go back in."

"He went into the pub reluctantly and recounted the conversation but the landlord took a different view."

"The defendant accepts that he did lose his temper and acted in the manner described."

"He had no intention to carry out the threats and doesn't even own a gun."

Howard gave his occupation as a self-employed chimney sweep and his solicitor said that he does receive some financial support from his family.

Howard was ordered to pay costs of £20.