A WOMAN who went on an 'errand of mercy' ended up arrested after swearing at police in an early hours melee, a court heard.

Burnley magistrates were told how Barbara Hubbard, 40, was spoken to by officers called to a disturbance in Colne, and didn't heed their advice to go home.

Hubbard, of Chequers, Clayton-le-Moors, admitted being drunk and disorderly and was given a 12 months conditional discharge with £50 costs.

Trevor Grice, defending, said Hubbard had gone on an errand of mercy after her sister-in-law, a mother of seven who is suffering from cancer, was taken into hospital at short notice.

She had been having a meal and a bottle of wine when she and her partner were called to try and help. They went to Colne in a taxi to see what they could do.

Mr Grice said the children became unruly and started fighting and after the defendant and her partner tried to placate them, the youngsters were pushed out into the street.

The children continued scuffling and all the defendant, who became completely exasperated, was doing was trying to stop the fight.