TWO young mums have paid the price of a midnight taxi office rumpus by landing themselves with criminal records.

Burnley magistrates court heard how a night of 'joviality' ended with Nicola Jane Ellis, 30, who used to work there, and Lois Solessi, 28, being racially abusive, fighting - and the cab operator having the job book thrown into his face and his window shattered.

Ellis, of Pine Street, and Solessi, a manageress, of Nickliffe Street, both Nelson, hung their heads as the justices told them they were sure they had learned a salutary lesson.

Both admitted racially aggravated threatening words or behaviour and were conditionally discharged for 12 months. Solessi, a nurse for 10 years, also admitted criminal damage and must pay £200 compensation.

Nigel Harrison, prosecuting, said the two defendants went into Escort Taxis, Newmarket Street, Colne, and started messing around. The taxi operator asked them to stop and was abused and when the defendants' taxi arrived, the jobs book was thrown into the operator's face. An altercation followed as he tried to get Ellis and Solessi out of the office, at which point Solessi kicked the taxi office window. Police arrived and Ellis continued shouting racial abuse at the cabbie.

John Rusius, for both defendants, said they had had a drink, but were jovial, not aggressive. Ellis used to work at the office and regularly called for a laugh and joke. The operator didn't know her and took it the wrong way when the women kept moving the TV aerial.

Then, a 'rather large' Asian man arrived, brandishing a pool cue and Ellis was assaulted by two men, who were on top of her while she was on the settee. She was punched, kicked and hit, the two male friends with the defendants tried to get them off and the struggle continued outside.

Ellis was lying prostrate on the floor and Solessi, in an attempt to distract attention from her, kicked the window. The women walked up the road, followed by the Asian man.

Mr Rusius said the defendants used abuse because they had been assaulted.

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