A FEUD over a teenage romance ended with two men going to a high school armed with a baseball bat and a hammer.

Blackburn magistrates heard that a 14-year-old boy was hit over the head with the bat and a schoolfriend who went to his aid was struck on the back of the head with the hammer.

And magistrates warned the two 18-year-old attackers that they were at risk of going to prison when sentence is eventually passed.

Zaid Mohammed Tantwala, 18, of Addison Street, Blackburn, and Shiraz Hussain, 18, of Lancaster Place, Blackburn, both pleaded guilty to assault. They were remanded on bail until September 13 for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

"You went into a local school seeking someone out and putting not just pupils at risk but staff as well," said the chairman of the bench.

"You were both armed, which makes this very serious, and the risk of you going to jail is still there."

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said there had been a previous fight between Tantwala and one of the 14-year-old boys who were assaulted. "The reason for that fight was that the boy had been going out with Tantwala's 14-year-old sister and his family did not approve," said Mr Harrison.

On the day of the incident Tantwala and Hussain had gone to Beardwood High School, Blackburn, armed with the baseball bat and hammer and Tantwala made it known he was looking for the boy, he said.

He said the boy turned to Tantwala, running at him brandishing a large, wooden baseball bat. He swung the bat and struck the boy a glancing blow on the back of the head. He then struck another blow to the side of the head, he said.

Other pupils went to the boy's assistance and one grabbed hold of the bat to stop Tantwala hitting the boy again. That boy was hit on the back of the head with the hammer by Hussain, said Mr Harrison.

The first boy told how he had been extremely frightened during the attack. He was dazed and felt sick after the blows and was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

The second boy had felt "excruciating" pain and there had been blood running from a cut on the back of his head.

Kevin Preston, defending, said Tantwala's sister had ended the relationship with the boy on the instructions of her family. As a result she began to suffer abuse at the hands of the boy and his friends.