A TWENTY-FIRST birthday celebration ended in police cells for Andrew Innes and Craig Ludlam after they were arrested outside Blackburn's Utopia nightclub.

Blackburn magistrates heard that as police stopped Ludlam from fighting with another man Innes jumped in and started exchanging blows with him.

Innes, 22, of Prescott Street, Burnley, and Ludlam, 25, of Carholme Avenue, Burnley, both pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour and were each fined £60 with £40 costs.

Julian Peers, defending, said his clients, who both work at Carter Fabrications, Burnley, were provoked as they left the nightclub in the early hours of the morning.

He said the third man was beckoning them to start fighting and they foolishly responded.