A WOMAN and a schoolboy have walked free from court after a machete attack which left the victim with a gashed head and suspected fractured skull.

Burnley Crown Court heard Kathleen Nowood, 34, struck Mark Shearman twice with the weapon after the 15 year-old had armed himself with it.

Norwood, a former drug addict who has served seven years for manslaughter, had been hit with a piece of wood by Mr Shearman after an earlier football pitch melee.

She was given 18 months in jail, suspended for two years, with a supervision order.

Sentencing, Judge Brian Duckworth told the defendant he had at first planned to send her to prison but the case was exceptional.

The judge said Norwood had "over-reacted" and lashed out with the knife. It was fortunate Mr Shearman, who suffered two very nasty cuts, wasn't more seriously injured, although he may be scarred for the rest of his life.

Judge Duckworth deferred sentence on the 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, until November 26.

Norwood, of Colne Road, Brierfield, admitted wounding. The teenager pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon. Martin Hackett, prosecuting, told the court in February, Mr Shearman, 20, and two other youths were playing football on a recreation ground in Burnley.

An altercation followed between Mr Shearman and the teenage defendant, who was with another boy, and the victim chased the youths away.

Mr Shearman returned to the pitch and the 15-year-old went to a house and got the machete, which had a seven-inch blade.

The teenager brandished the weapon and Norwood, who had been alerted over what was going on, took it off him and fought with Mr Shearman.

Norwood was hit with a piece of wood and struck Mr Shearman on the forehead and the top of the head.

Mr Hackett said Mr Shearman suffered two lacerations and was thought to have a fractured skull.

The defendants were later arrested and Norwood apologised.

For Norwood, Suzanne Goddard said she used excessive force to defend herself. Norwood had battled with a drug addiction for years and suffered chronic illness.

Miss Goddard added Norwood had not intended to use the knife aggressively but to stop trouble.

Roger Baldwin, defending the 15 year old, said the teenager thought he would get the knife to scare the lads off. He did look menacing.