A MEMBER of a Blackburn-based angling club had a fight on his hands after a row with a fellow member over missing tackle, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Alan Pickering armed himself with a meat cleaver after a scuffle in the club minibus outside his house.

And as the driver tried to start the vehicle, Pickering smashed the windscreen and three side windows with the weapon.

Pickering, 39, of New Wellington Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty causing £800 worth of damage to the minibus and possession of an offensive weapon. He was made subject to a community rehabilitation order for 12 months and ordered to pay £400 compensation.

Joanne Shahzada, prosecuting, said members of the North West Angling club were returning home from a fishing trip when they called to see the defendant about some tackle he had at his house which had gone missing the previous day.

A Martin Webster got out of the minibus and spoke to Pickering and a disagreement escalated into a row, the court heard.

The defendant shouted at Mr Webster not to slam the front door because his children were asleep and he retorted that he didn't deserve children, the court was told.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, the attack was no more than a moment of madness. He said the previous day Pickering had taken some fishing tackle from a club vehicle for safe keeping and had contacted the club chairman.