A woman kicked police officers called to help after neighbours called emergency services because she was screaming.

Alexandra Burtet, 33, was at home drinking and screaming to herself, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Neighbours called police as they were worried about her safety and when officers arrived at her home on Duke Street in Colne, Burtet attacked them.

PC Lee Ghulam and PC Shannon Kirk were kicked and verbally abused, the court was told.

Prosecuting, Philip Clemo said: “She was quite clearly intoxicated and at one point shoved PC Ghulam. He went to check if there was anybody else in the house when he was kicked in the back.

“He then took the understandable decision that she needed to be restrained and he and his colleague put her onto the sofa and applied cuffs.”

Burtet continued to scream abuse and when the officers tried to check the house again, she managed to get free from the cuffs and kicked PC Kirk to the face. PC Ghulam returned and she kicked him in the head before she was put back in handcuffs and taken to a police van.

Defending, Isobel Thomas said Burtet would come home and drink and scream to herself as a coping mechanism when things "became difficult".

Ms Thomas said: “She was surprised when the officers attended. Of course, that is no excuse for the way that she behaved. She thought she had been doing nothing wrong and became confused and distressed by that.”

Since the incident, Ms Thomas said Burtet, who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, was no longer drinking and was receiving support. The arrest was the ‘wake-up call’ she had needed.

Sentencing, Recorder Paul Hodgkinson said he was taking into account all the difficulties Burtet had faced in her life, but some punitive measures need to be taken due to the nature of the offence.

Mr Recorder Hodgkinson said: “What you did was unacceptable. They were police officers who came as a result of your neighbours who were concerned about your welfare.

Burtet, who admitted to assaults on mergency workers was given a 12-month community order of residence, meaning she must live and stay at her home.

Mr Recorder Hodgkinson added: “Take these opportunities to work with services and make a success of yourself going forward.”