CASES of domestic violence rose as families stayed in on New Year's Eve to avoid the bad weather.

Police in Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley were called to more than 200 incidents on the busiest evenings of 2003.

They ranged from public order offences involving alcohol to a hundred-car tail back on the A56 Accrington by-pass and suicide attempt on a bridge near Junction 5 of the M65.

Inspector Steve Howarth said: "This New Year was particularly bad.

"It is always one of our busiest nights but the snow brought its own problems.

"We come to expect a much higher number of incidents involving alcohol but there was an increase in domestic cases this year perhaps due to the snow and couples staying in drinking."

Fire crews in East Lancashire spent most of their New Year's eve dealing with a barn fire at Wheathead Farm, in Walls Clough, Rawtenstall, which they struggled to reach due to snow fall. The blaze broke out at midnight and five fire crews worked through the night to pump water from a nearby river.

A police investigation was also launched after a firework exploded outside a terraced house in Exchange Street, Accrington, blowing out a front door and three windows.

The incident happened at 4am and pieces of explosive have been sent away for examination. Sub Officer Tony Spencer said: "It appears to have been ignited at a nearby party but failed to explode in the air. It was very lucky there was no one about." There were six other call-outs for fire crews through the night, ranging from malicious calls to false alarms.

The ambulance service reported a "particularly busy" New Year and blamed the snow for the increase in calls.

Paramedics in Darwen helped save the life of a 17-year-old man who suffered serious head injuries after being glassed in Ellenshaw pub in Kay Street at midnight.

A spokesperson for the ambulance service said: "There are always several cases of alcohol-related injuries but the snow does seem to make things worse."