A POLICE officer narrowly avoided being hit by a car which was driven straight at him.

Blackburn magistrates heard the female driver, who had a two year old child in the back, mounted the pavement in a terraced street and sped off just inches from the front doors.

And the court was told the officer and anyone who may have stepped out of the houses were put at risk of serious injury or even death.

Olivia Ellen Pearson, 22, of Yorkshire Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop for a police officer and criminal damage to a car belonging to Chloey Keenan. She was sent on bail to Burnley Crown Court to be sentenced on January 4.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Miss Keenan was in the kitchen at her home in Spring Street, Rishton, talking to her ex-husband, John, who was in a relationship with Pearson. She heard a knock on the door and looked out to see Pearson in her car.

John went outside to speak to her and Miss Keenan could hear shouting and screaming. At some stage Pearson reversed towards her boyfriend as he was getting his bag out of the back of the car. She reversed into Miss Keenan's car causing damage.

"When the police arrived PC Caton walked towards the defendant's car but Pearson refused to get out or speak to the officer," said Miss Allan. "He could see there was a toddler in the back of the car and she was hysterical."

The officer was standing in front of the car and he said he looked straight at the defendant and realised she had 'lost it'.

"She revved the engine and drove directly at the officer," said Miss Allan. "He jumped out of the way and says the car missed him by about two centimetres. She proceeded down the pavement missing the fronts of the houses by inches."

Miss Allan said the officer said that in all his 14 years as a policeman he had never had a motorist drive straight at him.

"Had I not taken evasive action I would have been seriously injured or even killed," he said.

"This was a deliberate disregard for the safety of others," said Miss Allan.