A DRUNKEN 22-year-old woman had her eight-month-old baby in one arm while she was attacking her sister with the other.

Blackburn magistrates heard the baby was crying and screaming as Rachael Walsh dragged her sister to the floor and then started punching and kicking her.

The court was told a female witness became extremely concerned when the baby suddenly stopped making a noise.

Walsh, of Cranbrook Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a child. She was fined £60 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

Adrian Hollamby, prosecuting, said the witness was a driving instructor and was giving a lesson on Cranbrook Street when she saw Walsh holding her baby in her left arm and arguing with another woman.

Using her right hand she grabbed the other woman by the hair and dragged her to the floor and started to hit and kick her.

"The witness had got out of her car and was really concerned when the baby stopped making a noise," said Mr Hollanby.

"She shouted at the defendant to stop and she said something back along the lines that her sister had said she was an unfit mother."

The intervention gave the victim of the assault the chance to get up and walk away and at that point the witness saw a two-year-old child, who she described as "distraught".

Imran Hussain, defending, said his client accepted she was in charge of the child and wasn't in a fit and proper state because of drink.

"You have heard about an assault but she is not charged with that," said Mr Hussain.

"She says her sister attacked her and she was simply defending herself."

Mr Hussain said the sister had made some insensitive and hurtful remarks about something that had happened previously.

"She accepts that having care of the children she should have been in a fit and proper state to look after them," said Mr Hussain. "She is extremely distressed and remorseful.The case has weighed heavily on her mind and she tells me it won't happen again."