A NEW Year's Eve night out ended in blood and broken bones for a Longridge woman after she was attacked by her husband and thrown out of their house.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Lynda Nuttall needed stitches to a wound in her head and suffered three cracked ribs.

But defence solicitor Andrew Church-Taylor said that since the incident she had made a retraction statement, written a letter to the court expressing her forgiveness, and revealed that she was anxious for a reconciliation.

Raymond Nuttall, 41, of Fleet Street, Longridge, pleaded guilty to assaulting Lynda Nuttall causing her actual bodily harm and was remanded on bail until April 16 for the preparation of pre-sentence reports. A charge of wounding his wife causing her grievous bodily harm was withdrawn.

Clare Fanning, prosecuting, said the couple had been to a club and several pubs before returning home in the early hours. Mrs Nuttall remembered making a drink and some supper when an argument started. She was hazy on the detail because of the amount she had drunk, but she remembered picking up an overturned kitchen table and then found herself lying on the kitchen floor.

"The defendant was trying to dab her head with a bath towel because she was bleeding," said Miss Fanning. "She also remembers finding it extremely difficult to breathe. He then threw her out of the house and she had to go to a neighbour's house to raise the alarm."

Mrs Nuttall was taken by ambulance to Royal Preston Hospital, where she received stitches to a head wound and was found to have three broken ribs.

Mr Church-Taylor said the guilty plea was entered despite the retraction statement because Nuttall did not want to protract proceedings.

"He could have played the system knowing his wife would be a reluctant witness at best, but has decided that would not be fair," said Mr Church-Taylor.

He said the couple had argued after their night out, and Mrs Nuttall had used some colourful language.

Nuttall had gone to grab his wife but, because of the alcohol he had consumed, he pushed her instead.

"Her head hit the radiator and her ribs hit the radiator tap," said Mr Church-Taylor.

"It was not a deliberate blow."

Mr Church-Taylor said that when he saw the blood, Nuttall had realised the enormity of the situation and got a towel to try and stem the flow.

"Unfortunately his wife continued to be abusive and eventually he put her out of the house," he added.