A MUM on a school run has today been found guilty of assaulting a lollipop lady.

School crossing patrol officer Claire Earle was slapped across the face by neighbour Angela Sissons, 38, outside Lord Street Primary School in Colne, Burnley magistrates heard.

Prosecutor Alan Wilson said the incident took place on September 11 last year as Mrs Earle, a mother-of-two, began her morning duties outside the school at 8.20am.

Minutes later an off-road vehicle containing mother-of-four Sissons, her husband Paul and their four children drove by, before it performed a u-turn and pulled up beside the pavement.

Mr Wilson said Sissons got out, walked up to Mrs Earle and started shouting and pointing at her, asking her 'what her problem was?'.

Giving evidence, Mrs Earle said: "She was aggressive and wanted an argument, waving her finger at me and giving me verbal abuse."

The court heard that the lollipop lady then verbally abused her and said "get out of my sight" and Sissons slapped her across the face, in front of the victim's two children.

"My main priority then was my children," Mrs Earle told the court.

"My daughter was absolutely hysterical."

Later Sissons was arrested and interviewed on suspicion of assault, but maintained that Mrs Earle had made 'V-signs' and 'pulled faces' at her car as she drove past initially.

The court heard that she said her intention had been to remonstrate with Mrs Earle, a former friend and neighbour, and ask her why she had behaved that way towards her.

But she was met with abuse from the lollipop lady.

Sissons told the court: "She then started prodding me in the chest and telling me to xxxxxx and I have blocked her.

"I told her not to continue prodding me but she must have done it five or six times."

But eyewitnesses Shaun Kelly, a paving contractor, and Beverley Monaghan, a concessions manager, both described Sissons as being the aggressor in the confrontation.

Sissons, of Tennyson Street, Colne, denied assaulting Mrs Earle but was convicted after a two-hour trial. She was conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay £75 compensation to her victim with £150 costs.

John Rucius, defending, said his client was a woman of previous good character and the matter had been an isolated incident.