A CONTROVERSIAL poet has hired a personal minder after being rugby tackled by a drinker while reciting verse in a pub.

Tony West was standing on a stool at The Gibraltar Hotel, Dukes Brow, Blackburn, reading a poem about Blackburn Rovers when the man knocked him to the floor.

The assailant, who has since apologised for the incident, was ejected from the pub.

Tony, of Gloucester Road, Whitebirk, Blackburn, was shaken by the attack and suffered a bruised head but has forgiven the attacker.

And last night, a week on from the attack, Tony returned to The Gibraltar Hotel -- with protection.

He has hired a personal bodyguard after a recommendation through a friend of a friend.

It is only a month since the Gibraltar Hotel's boss Alison St Pierre, 43, launched the weekly poetry night for customers to recite their own poetry or a favourite verse.

Alison, a former youth worker who once co-owned a vegetarian restaurant in Colne, has turned an area of the pub into a room where people can relax away from the bar.

She has used aromatherapy oils and had decorated the place with plenty of plants and flowers to add to the "chilled-out ambience".

But the ambience was far from chilled out last week.

Alison said: "I didn't expect violence but there are a lot of emotions running high. It was unfortunate what happened and I am sure it was a one-off.

"Tony is very controversial to say the least. His routine is very different as he stands on a stool and uses a football rattle. Plus, every other word is an expletive so you can't ignore him.

"But the audience is of understanding adults and there have been no other complaints.

"I am more than happy for him to come back on a regular basis and the man who rugby tackled him has said he will come back too."

Tony has had a varied career. He has taught and practised ballet dancing around the world and is also a drama director who has produced plays in Darwen.

He is currently driving buses in Blackburn and has put together a collection of his poems which he sells for £2 after he has given recitals. He is now looking for a publisher to produce an anthology of his work.

Tony said: "The poem I read last week was not derogatory. The man must have been influenced by the "rhythms" of the poem."

He said he had earlier read a poem about the war and that may have been connected.

He said: "In the back of his mind he had formed this idea that I was against the war, which is not really true.

"Then I came on with Hole House Pub Footey. I was totally overcome by it, by the crowd, the rhythm of the chants and maybe a couple of drinks.

"We sorted it out after but I employed a minder afterwards just in case somebody else reacts and it can't be resolved."