POLICE were called after a woman laid down on the corridor in accident and emergency at Royal Blackburn Hospital and refused to leave.

Blackburn magistrates heard Nicola Pritchard was shouting abuse at hospital staff who had earlier treated her for an eye injury.

Pritchard, 42, of College Bank, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to causing a nuisance on NHS premises. She was fined £80 with £85 costs and £34 victim surcharge. The offence put Pritchard in breach of a suspended prison sentence which wasn't activated but the operational period was extended by three months.

Drew Barrow, prosecuting, said hospital security staff contacted police for assistance in removing Pritchard from the premises.

"After she had been treated for an eye injury she returned and became abusive," said Mr Barrow. "Police took her outside but she continued to refuse to leave and behaved in an unacceptable way."

Gareth Price, defending, said his client was a vulnerable person who had found herself in a difficult position.

Over the weekend she accepted a lift from a male who she didn't really know and he drove her from Rochdale to Blackburn.

"He pulled over and made advances towards her," said Mr Price. "She ended up on a physical altercation during which she received injuries and she ended up at hospital."

Mr Price said after treatment Pritchard was discharged and at that point she started to panic.

"She had no idea how to get back to Rochdale and went back into the hospital and behaved in the way you have heard," said Mr Price.