A TEENAGE woman accused of murdering her lover has told a jury: She didn't deserve to die.

Louise Berry, 19, giving evidence at Preston Crown Court, also told how she didn't mean the threats to kill Mandy Burton she made in a 999 call just days before the death.

She added: "I loved her. I would never have done a thing like that, I loved her too much.

"It was the heat of the moment, I just wanted the police to take me away and put some distance between us."

Mrs Burton, a 30-year-old divorced mother-of-two, died on August 14, 2002, three days after her skull was smashed in an attack with a blunt weapon at the house the couple shared in Moorgate Street, Blackburn.

Berry, who was being treated with Prozac for depression at the time, told the jury that she returned to their home and found Mrs Burton injured, having left her in the company of friend Stephen Champ two hours earlier.

She added: "It was something that shouldn't happen to anybody, let alone someone you love."

She denies murder and a further charge of grievous bodily harm in connection with another incident on August 6.

Berry allegedly hit John Hollern with a crowbar in the backyard of her home during a late night drinking session.

This happened after Berry witnessed Mrs Burton on the knee of Mr Hollern's cousin Andrew, who she suspected her lover of having an affair with, the court was told.

In cross-examination, Graham Morrow, QC, prosecuting, claimed John Hollern taunted Berry about his cousin's actions.

But Berry said: "I came out to see where the crowbar had come from and he talked to me in an aggressive manner and I thought he was going to attack me.

"I struck him on the arm in self defence."

Love letters from Berry, read to the jury last week, pleaded with Mrs Burton: "I wouldn't have killed you on Wednesday." Mr Morrow said these referred to a 999 call made after the 'crowbar incident.'

But Berry told the jury: "I wrote this a couple of months earlier after almost giving her food poisoning from a chicken which I didn't cook properly."

Mr Morrow asked: "You are seriously saying that you said in the letter 'Please forgive me baby, I wouldn't have killed you' over a frozen chicken?"

Berry replied: "Yes, it was meant to be sarcasm."

Mr Morrow said: "You were jealous and in particular of her relationship with Andrew Hollern.

Berry said: "It wasn't a relationship, just a fling -- nothing to be jealous about."

She also told the jury that changing her story about her whereabouts on the day Mrs Burton died was 'Stupid,' adding: "I wasn't thinking. I thought if I change my story I will be in trouble."

Proceeding