A SENIOR fire officer has been cleared of impersonating a policeman after he stopped a woman motorist on a quiet country lane and ticked her off for overtaking him.

But station commander Nicholas Isherwood was warned by Blackburn magistrates that he would be well advised to think carefully before flashing his lights at other motorists he considered to be driving improperly.

Mr Isherwood, 42, of Padiham Road, Sabden, pleaded not guilty to the offence and the court was told that a conviction would cost him not only his good name but his career.

The court heard the incident took place in Whalley Road, Sabden on the morning of December 12 2001.

Lancashire County Council training officer Gillian Duff was driving to work when she overtook a slow-moving white car with a blue light on the roof. The driver flashed his headlights three or four times and eventually Miss Duff decided to pull up to check whether he was a police officer.

The car pulled up behind and Mr Isherwood got out and approached Miss Duff's vehicle. Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said it was the prosecution case that during the exchange that followed Mr Isherwood did not say he was a police officer but gave Miss Duff the impression that he was.

Later that night Miss Duff saw his car parked in Sabden and knocked on his door. The prosecution claimed Miss Duff asked Mr Isherwood if he was the policeman who had stopped her that morning and when he said yes she asked for his warrant details.

But the magistrates accepted the defence version of the conversation which was that Mr Isherwood had been asked if he was the person who had stopped her that morning and the number he gave her was his fire service number because he thought she wanted to make a complaint to his senior officers.

He maintained that on both occasions when they met he had been wearing his fire service uniform and claimed his actions had been prompted by concern for the safety of other road users.

Mr Isherwood claimed Miss Duff had overtaken him at speed, on a narrow lane, in icy conditions and that there had been pedestrians in the vicinity. He had flashed his lights to indicate his displeasure and when she stopped had got out to express the same.

He said, and the magistrates accepted, that the blue light on top of his fire service car had the word 'fire' written boldly across it although Miss Duff was adamant this was not the case.

The magistrates rejected similar fact evidence given by police sergeant Ruth Chew who claimed that on a previous occasion Mr Isherwood had flashed his lights after she had overtaken him and then sounded his two tone horns.

She said she had stopped because she thought it was a police car behind her but had recognised Mr Isherwood as soon as he got out of his car.

The magistrates, who said they were not taking any account of sergeant Chew's evidence, were told that the officer had not taken any action against Mr Isherwood and neither had colleagues who she had told about the incident.

Tony Cross, defending, said there was no suggestion that Mr Isherwood had been driving on the roads around Sabden preying on single females. "He was going about his normal fire service business when he witnessed what he saw as an appalling piece of driving," said Mr Cross.

"His behaviour is not to be criticised it should be commended. It is a pity more people do not challenge the actions of people who take the lives of others in their hands. He was doing no more than any concerned citizen would do."

Mr Isherwood is originally from Blackburn and has previously served in Accrington. While acting assistant divisional officer for Burnley, he was responsible for multi-agency crime and disorder work.

He has been with the fire service for 24 years and was not suspended during the investigation.