A WEDDING turned into a drunken brawl involving 13 guests, plus the bride and groom.

The happy couple spent their wedding night in police cells and appeared, together with three guests, before Blackburn magistrates as a result of the fight.

Police were called to the wedding reception at The Three Pigeons pub in Oakenhurst Road, Blackburn. Fifteen people were fighting outside the pub, a large number were shouting and swearing and several were arrested, prosecutor Sara Walker told the court.

All five who appeared in court were bound over in the sum of £100 to keep the peace for a year.

The bride, Patricia Ring, 39, and the bridegroom, Ivor Thomas Jones, 38, both of Fawcett Close, Blackburn, admitted being drunk and disorderly. Jones told police who attended the scene that it was his wedding and "things had got out of hand."

He shouted and swore at police then calmed down, but flared up again as arrests continued and was arrested himself.

Ring shouted and screamed at the police when they arrived at her wedding, said Ms Walker.

The prosecutor added: "She was clearly very drunk, lashed out at a police vehicle with both arms and pushed a mirror out of place." Deborah Jameson, defending, said: "This was a very sad start to the wedding because she had spent the evening in a cell. She intervened when she saw her husband involved in the fracas and tried to assist him."

Two guests also admitted drunk and disorderly behaviour. They were Andrea Donnelly, 18, of Lower Hazel Close, Blackburn, and Simon John Firth, 21, of Lawrence Street, Blackburn. Ms Jameson said Donnelly intervened when her younger brother, whom she was taking care of while their parents were on holiday, was arrested.

Ms Walker said Firth was very unsteady on his feet and was clearly very drunk.

The bridegroom's aunt, Valerie Jean Hartley, 45, of Bromley Street, Blackburn, admitted using threatening words or behaviour. Ms Walker said police officers told Hartley to leave the scene outside The Three Pigeons but were met with a torrent of abuse and had no choice but to arrest her.

Ms Walker said: "She was taken to Blackburn police station because it was clear she was very drunk. She was put in a cell and continued shouting and banging on the cell door.

"It had been a happy wedding reception. This lady was trying to rescue the bridegroom, who is her nephew."

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