A FORMER professional boxer who streaked during the East Lancashire derby at Turf Moor has been banned from matches for three years -- and dumped by his girlfriend.

Burnley Magistrates Court heard how Mark Hargreaves, 34, had gone on to the pitch naked in front of the 21,000 plus crowd - and eight million television viewers - early in the second half.

He did a dance, spun round on his back, got up and was arrested as he walked.

The court was told he had been drinking and was unimpressed with the quality of the match and wanted to liven it up.

Hargreaves, who was at the match on Sunday as a guest of his girlfriend's bosses, was fined £200, with £50 costs and banned from soccer games for three years. The defendant, of Sycamore Avenue, Burnley, after admitting going onto the playing area during a designated football match.

Sentencing, District Judge Michael Singleton told Hargreaves he found it incredible the defendant thought he had been having a laugh and his behaviour could not be accepted or condoned.

He said he had exhibited himself in a way which was "grotesquely self indulgent."

He continued: "The game was a high-profile game. All police leave in Lancashire had been cancelled because of the potential for trouble. Your actions can only have served to increase the potential risk for problems."

Andrew Robinson, prosecuting, told the court Hargreaves went on to the pitch from the Bob Lord end.

Dylan Bradshaw, defending, said Hargreaves had been at the game as a guest of his girlfriend's employers - but she had since dumped him.

He had also lost his job after being made redundant the day before his court appearance but that might not be linked to the offence and might be an unfortunate coincidence.

Mr Bradshaw said Hargreaves was a former professional boxer.