A WOMAN'S brother and boyfriend were arrested when police tried to resolve a New Year disturbance in which she became involved.

Howard James Cartmell, 26, of Harebell Close, and John Anthony Mallett, 30, of Willow Street, Clayton-le-Moors, were each fined £75 with £55 costs by Blackburn magistrates after pleading guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

The court heard that the men reacted after Mallett's sister was arrested by police who attended the Horden's pub in Livesey Branch Road following a disturbance in the early hours of New Year's Day.

Daniel King, defending, said there had been a fight in the pub which had nothing to do with his clients.

By the time the police arrived the incident was over, he said.

"A large number of armoured officers arrived and appeared to be indiscriminately removing people from the pub and one of them was Miss Mallett," said Mr King.

"She fell, she was kicked by the officers and she was manhandled by a number of the officers who placed her in a police vehicle.

"Neither of my clients had seen anything that warranted that kind of behaviour," added Mr King.

Tom Snape, prosecuting, said the officers had become aware of an incident involving two females and had arrested one of them.

He said Mallett had kicked out at an officer and then fell in the snow. The defendants had approached and accused the police of kicking the girl, he said.