THREE teenage yobs, two of them just 13 years old, caused mayhem on a commuter train on the East Lancashire Line.

Blackburn magistrates heard the youths were aggressive and threatening to other passengers and refused to pay their fare.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The train was eventually stopped at Rishton until British Transport Police arrived.

But because of the delay, the train,which should have travelled to Blackpool South, had to terminate at Preston causing difficulties for many passengers.

The teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to unacceptable behaviour on the railway, travelling without paying the fare and obstructing a police officer acting in the execution of his duty.

They were made subject to six-month referral orders and their parents ordered to pay £85 costs, £50 compensation to the train guard, £15 victim surcharge and £1.65 compensation to cover the fare.

Scott Ainge, prosecuting, said the boys had been harassing other passengers and had approached two girls and asked them if they were lesbians.

Other passengers were annoyed and the conductor was asked to intervene. He asked for their tickets and they said they didn’t have any.

“He asked them for the fare and they made it clear they weren’t going to pay,” said Mr Ainge. “One of them called the conductor names and when they were asked to leave the train at Rishton they refused.”

Mr Ainge said another passenger became involved and there was a scuffle.

The guard called the police and while the train was waiting at Rishton there was further trouble between the boys and male passengers who wanted them to get off.

When police arrived they removed the boys from the train but they all gave false details.

Gareth Price, defending, said his clients, who were from the travelling community, all accepted there had been some misbehaviour on the train. He said none of them had been in any kind of trouble before.