POLICE called to the Borough Arms in Exchange Street, Blackburn, found customers and door staff involved in a large-scale fight, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Simon David Pickering was seen throwing punches and a police officer who approached Ryan Lee Brogan thought he was going to be attacked.

Brogan, 23, of Full View, Blackburn, and Simon David Pickering, 24, of St Albans Road, Darwen, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour.

They were each ordered to do 80 hours community service.

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, said Pickering was at the head of the group fighting with the bouncers and he continued to lash out at them even when he was being restrained by police officers.

Brogan was aggressive and violent and the officer who tried to arrest him needed assistance from colleagues to restrain him.

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said Pickering had gone out with his girlfriend's family and Brogan was part of the group. A male member of their party was drunk and a doorman began to eject him in a forceful way.

"A female member of the party remonstrated with the bouncer for the way he was treating the other man, said Mr Church-Taylor. "The bouncer pushed her away and she fell to the floor and that angered other members of the group, especially Mr Pickering. He went to protest and for his trouble he was ejected."

He said Brogan became concerned for his girlfriend when the trouble spilled onto the street and he had got involved in the fracas.

"These are not men who regularly misbehave in Blackburn town centre and they only became involved because of what they perceived to be improper treatment by the door staff," he added.