A MAYOR was prevented from attending to his civic duties - after a tractor blocked the road to his home.

Mayor of Pendle, Coun Allan Buck, became involved in a standoff with neighbouring farmer Jimmy Moles at around 9.30am on Saturday, outside his home, Hollins Farm, in Esp Lane, Barnoldswick.

Mr Moles had left his tractor blocking the narrow road connecting the farm and Coun Buck's house with the main road, meaning that Coun Buck and his mayoress, Barbara Mitchell, were blocked in.

Police were called and eventually a path was cleared for the car to proceed.

Coun Buck had been due to attend a civic question-and-answer session at the council offices in Barrowford but was an hour-and-a-half late.

And the mayoress was also late for a charity coffee morning in Fence.

A spokesman for Pendle Council said it was investigating claims that the mayoral car had been damaged during the incident.

Mr Moles, who said that he had received a £80 fixed penalty notice for swearing in relation to the incident, said that he had blocked the road to prevent his cows from going into Barnoldswick town centre.

He said that a nearby tree had been removed, which had allowed his animals to escape. Coun Buck has denied being responsible.

Coun Buck said: "This incident was totally unexpected and made myself and the mayoress very late for our engagements.

"We found it to be threatening and distressing and will be looking for reassurance that it will not be happening again.

Mr Moles, of Lower Calf Hall Farm, said: "I had some cows in the field. They were kept in by a tree but it was taken down.

"We had been putting some new fencing up but someone had cut the rope on it and six cows escaped.

"One of the cows took the wing mirror off Mr Buck's Mercedes because it had got into the road.

"I admit I used bad language but I'd already spent two and a half hours chasing the cows. I'm not having the cows going into the town centre - that is asking for havoc.

"My job is to keep the cows at home so I had put the tractor at the bottom of the road so no more could escape because I was on my own. "

Police said they went to Esp Lane, Barnoldswick, at 9.30am on Saturday after receiving complaints that a tractor was blocking the lane.

A spokesperson for the council said: "Because a claim has been submitted for the damage to the mayoral car, the insurers have asked us not to comment."