TWO police officers faced a "barrage of vile abuse" when they stopped two men in the early hours, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard the abuse was racially orientated and included taunts of "Nazi" by the two men, who were clearly drunk.

Malik Saqab Khan, 29, and Tahir Hussain, 20, both of St James Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated threatening behaviour. They were both fined £50.

Silvia Dacre, prosecuting, said the police responded to a report of a disturbance in Ambleside Close and when Hussain was asked his name he replied: "It's Private Porky, what's it got to do with you?"

She said Khan produced two disposable cigarette lighters, put them to his nostrils and began to inhale.

Basharat Ditta, defending, said his clients were apologetic and fully accepted that any decent person who heard the language they used would have been "horrified and appalled."