A GREAT Harwood couple beat up two teenagers who they claimed had attacked their son who was a victim of bullying, a court heard.

Mark and Cheryl Smalley, both 33, George Avenue, appeared at Hyndburn Magistrates facing one charge each of common assault.

Mr Smalley was said to have beaten a 16-year-old, and Mrs Smalley was charged with common assault on his friend -- also 16 -- who they thought had beaten up their son.

The incident happened in Wordsworth Drive, Great Harwood, on a Sunday night in March last year.

Julie Reddish, prosecuting, told the court the two teenagers had been among a group of youths standing on the street when they were approached by the couple's son Lee.

After a discussion Lee left and a short time later his father approached the group and grabbed the teenager around the throat and punched him in the face.

He then dragged him, holding him by the throat, along Wordsworth Drive to the boy's house, while punching him in the back of the head, she said.

The teenager told the court he and his friends had been at a friend's house at the time.

He said: "He got hold of me by the throat, walking up the street to my house and he was hitting me. He was asking me where the tent was." He didn't know anything about a tent, he said.

Brian Irlam, defending, said: "Have you been spoken to in your school about bullying Lee Smalley?"

The boy admitted he had, and also admitted stealing a torch from the Smalley family home but denied attacking Lee Smalley, saying it was someone else.

The second teenager said Mrs Smalley had punched him after asking why he had hit her son.

The couple were bound over in the sum of £100, for 12 months. After the trial Mr Smalley said: "Obviously we are very pleased with the result."