A MASSEUR'S wife has spoken of her delight after he was cleared of groping a teenage student at his Golden Hands clinic.

Joan Downey said the past nine months since the allegations were made had been "an absolute nightmare" and she was looking forward to getting their life back on track.

She added: "This whole thing has been an absolute nightmare ever since the allegations were made in June.

"This should never have come to court, but now it's over we can celebrate and start to put our lives back together."

Robert Downey, 60, who runs the massage clinic above the Bridleway chip shop in Waterfoot, was accused of fondling a student's breasts and bottom as she lay almost naked on a treatment table.

The 18-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told Burnley Crown Court Mr Downey had offered to massage her stomach to calm her nerves when she told him she was worried about taking her A-levels.

His wife was downstairs at the chip shop owned by the couple at the time. serving lunches.

However, despite the allegations, a jury cleared Mr Downey, of Booth Road, Waterfoot, of all three counts of indecent assault after deliberating for just over four hours.

Earlier the masseur's legal team told the jury the allegations did not add up as Mr Downey had given hundreds of massages and had never received any complaints.

Oliver Jarvis, defending, said: "Why was he suddenly going to blow it all with this 18-year-old? Was he really going to risk anything?"

He said the girl had been an attention seeker.

Mr Jarvis also denied there had been any sort of confession by Mr Downey to the girl's mother.

The court had been told that the girl's mother told Mrs Downey what was supposed to have taken place and later Mr Downey was seen walking down the road covered in curry.