A 21-year-old man who tried to be a peacemaker ended up in a prolonged struggle with police who were trying to arrest him, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard an officer involved said he had never come across anyone who struggled so violently or for so long.

And the court was told that after being put in a police van Wayne Martin repeatedly head-butted a security grille.

Martin, of Fishmoor Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and damaging a police vehicle. He was given a 15-month community rehabilitation order and told to pay £50 compensation for the damage and £100 costs.

Judith Balderstone, prosecuting, said police called to a disturbance in Hawthorn Avenue, Darwen, found Martin standing bare-chested in a doorway. As they were speaking to him his brother Simon came out of the house, crossed the road and banged on the door of another house. When a man came to the window, Simon began shouting threats and the police and Wayne went over to try and calm him down but he refused to listen.

"When an officer went to arrest him Wayne tried to push him backwards," said Miss Balderstone.

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said that, despite the violent struggle, the extent of the assault was a single push.