A POLICE staff member has been sacked after she attacked a women in a road rage incident.

Blackburn magistrates heard how two women drivers were involved in a 15-minute stand-off when they both drove onto a narrow bridge at the same time.

But when the stalemate was broken insults were thrown and the situation deteriorated into a fight in the middle of Hollin Bridge Street, off Bolton Road, Blackburn, the court was told.

Laura Reed, 32, of Pritchard Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Elizabeth Coey.

She was fined £100 and ordered to pay £200 compensation and £80 costs.

The court heard there were several independent witnesses to the incident which started when a Citroen driven by Reed and a BMW driven by Mrs Coey came bumper to bumper on the Bridge.

Anser Amin, defending, said that right from school-days his client had been bullied because of her size.

"She took exception to being called a fat cow by the other woman," said Mr Amin. He said that what followed was a fight although his client accepted she had been the aggressor.

"She accepts throwing two or three punches and that she was pulling the other woman's hair," said Mr Amin. " Her behaviour was out of character and clearly unacceptable but there was clearly some provocation."

He said as a result of the incident Reed had lost her job in the communications room at Lancashire Police Headquarters, Hutton, as well as her previous good character.

Imposing a fine the chairman of the magistrates said they accepted there had been some provocation.