A TEENAGER has appeared in court after three women were injured when hit by a car in Blackpool on Saturday night.

Jake Hartley, 19, stood in the dock at Blackpool Magistrates' Court for a brief two-minute appearance, charged with nine offences in all.

The defendant, wearing a grey t-shirt and jogging bottoms, was arrested after a Skoda estate car was driven towards pedestrians in Blackpool town centre.

Hartley, whose address in court was given as the Waggon and Horses, on Rochdale Road, Todmorden, Lancs, is accused of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, three counts of assault relating to the three injured women, dangerous driving, driving without a licence, driving without insurance and possession of a weapon capable of incapacitation, a stun gun.

He is also accused of drink-driving, giving a reading of 81 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, with the drink-drive limit being 35 microgrammes.

A woman in her 80s suffered a broken collarbone, another woman, in her 70s, had a sprained ankle and cuts and bruises to her legs, while a woman in her 30s suffered a broken tooth, swollen jaw and bruises to her legs, police said.

All three were treated in hospital and later discharged following the incident around 11.50pm on Saturday.

No pleas were entered on Monday and there was no application for bail.

Chairman of the bench Paul Farquhar remanded Hartley into custody to next appear at Preston Crown Court on May 16.