A SENIOR policeman cleared of assaulting a woman who fell downstairs at a party today spoke of his relief and said: "I just wish my father was here."

Inspector Richard Clare, a former Accrington police officer, was alleged to have elbowed another guest in the face at a house warming party last September.

She fell down stairs, breaking a wrist. After the incident he feared she had died.

But a jury acquitted him unanimously of causing grievous bodily harm following a trial at Preston Crown Court yesterday.

Mr Clare, 33, of Horning Crescent, Burnley, said although he was delighted to have been cleared, his joy was tinged with regret at not being able to break the news to his father Bob, who died of cancer last Christmas aged 67.

He said: "This is brilliant. The past nine months have been pure hell from a personal and professional point of view.

"If being accused of something like this wasn't bad enough, soon after the allegations were made we found out my father had cancer and he died six weeks later. I regret not being able to go to him and tell him I'm innocent.

"I'm now looking forward to getting back to a normal life. Everything has been on hold since this nightmare started and now I hope I can move on. Work has been very supportive and I just want to get back into the swing of things.

"This has been a shock and I never thought it would get this far. From the moment the allegations were made to being charged and appearing in court, it's been unbelievable." The nightmare began when Mr Clare, his wife Judith and daughter Francesca, now three, went to a house warming party at St Annes, last year. Collette Lister, the householder's niece, was among the guests.

A fall-out occurred in the kitchen between Lister and Mrs Clare and afterwards Lister followed her upstairs to the landing. The next thing Lister remembered was waking up in hospital with a broken wrist and other injuries.

A witness told police of seeing the women shouting at each other, though there was no physical contact. The defendant allegedly raised an elbow and said: "Don't speak to my wife like that," before jabbing an elbow into her face.

Following his arrest Mr Clare told police he had earlier intervened when his wife was attacked in the kitchen. He later thought there would be a re-occurrence and Miss Lister had tried to get past him.

Mr Clare said he blocked her and they were pushing against each other and she fell backwards downstairs. He insisted he had simply held the woman in place to calm her down.

He said: "I didn't do anything to make her lose her footing. She went careering backwards straight down the stairs. I thought she'd broken her neck. She didn't move for a couple of seconds. I couldn't believe it, I thought 'she's dead'. Her face was covered in blood."