A WOMAN lost two teeth after being punched in the face by a total stranger in Burnley town centre.

Blackburn magistrates heard the woman had been handed a phone by another female, who was clearly upset and was in the process of phoning the police.

Before she could do anything she was punched in the face by drunken Christopher John Baxendale.

Baxendale, 27, of Lansdowne Close, Burnley, pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman causing her actual bodily harm.

He was sentenced to six months in prison supended for 12 months and ordered to pay the victim £3,500 compensation.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said a group of young people were stood outside McDonald's on St James Street, Burnley. Baxendale walked past but then turned back and pushed some food in a female's face.

"She called the police but was so upset she handed her phone to a passer-by," said Miss Akhtar.

"That was this other woman and, without warning, the defendant punched her in the face, knocking out two teeth."

Miss Akhtar said the incident had a massive impact on the victim who as well as losing her teeth suffered a cut to her upper lip and one to her nose. She told how the incident had affected her self confidence.

"My children were both shocked to see me so bruised and the youngest had nightmares," said the woman, who had 22 days off work receiving dental treatment. "They couldn't understand why this had happened to their mother."

Phillip Turner, defending, said it was significant that the offence had been committed in August 2016 and t was no fault of the defendant that it had taken so long to come to court.

He said Baxendale accepted he had been drinking and there was no one else to blame but him.

"It is clear he was being goaded by a group of teenagers in the doorway of McDonald's," said Mr Turner. "The victim was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was totally innocent."

Mr Turner said his client was involved in another incident around the same time which made him realise he was engaged in binge drinking.

"He has abstained from drink since September 2016," said Mr Turner. "He and his partner are buying their own house, he works hard and they are expecting their first child in June. For the past 20 months he has kept out of trouble and behaved in a positive way."