A WOMAN accused of driving her car at a youth who verbally abused, was cleared by a jury yesterday.

A court heard how a trip to the swings in the local park with her eight-year-old son ended with her being accused of dangerous driving and assault.

Diane Allcock said she was verbally abused by a group of youths in the park, and when she followed them home, a second group of young people confronted her

Teenage witnesses to the incident claimed the 43-year-old mother swore at them and then drove her car at the group, catching one boy with a glancing blow, injuring his knee.

Yesterday, Allcock, of Stour Road, Tyldesley, appeared at Bolton Crown Court on the second day of her trial. The jury cleared her of dangerous driving and assault.

The incident happened on Sunday, June 25, last year, when Allcock took her son to the park to play on the swings.

But when she got there, she found the swings had been wrapped round the crossbar, rendering them useless. Allcock asked the tallest of a group of teenagers to unravel the swings, but told the court he refused and swore at her.

The group walked off and Allcock stayed in the park for a while.

But she spotted the youths later on, and decided to follow them home.

She followed the group to Coombe Close, where another group of teenagers was playing football in the street.

They alleged that following a conversation, Allcock drove her car deliberately at them, forcing them to jump over a garden fence.

Another boy in the middle of the street claimed he couldn't get out of the way, and said he was hit by the car bonnet, injuring his knee.

But Allcock maintained she only asked them the name of the boy who had verbally abused her, and as she left Coombe Close, the boy jumped in front of her, leapt on the bonnet and grinned at her.