THE appearance in court of a mother of five on a drunk and disorderly charge was said to herald the arrival of the "barbecue season".

Defence solicitor Andrew Church-Taylor told Blackburn magistrates that the changing seasons bring many things and among them is the outdoor eating habit.

"These are usually pleasurable occasions but what tends to happen is that people drink all day and end up taking far more drink than they usually do," he said.

"That is exactly what happened on this occasion and it ended with my client behaving totally out of character."

Julie Anette Perry, 32, of Oak Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in Blackburn police station inquiry office.

She was fined £60 and ordered to pay £55 costs.

Wendy Chappell, prosecuting, said Perry was among a group of people who went into the police station in the early hours inquiring about a friend who had been arrested.

They were eventually asked to leave and Perry became abusive and gesticulated towards an officer.

Mr Church-Taylor said that after the barbecue it had seemed a good idea to carry on and Perry and a number of friends had come into town and carried on drinking.

"As a mother of five she does not get out very often and this was not the kind of drinking session she was used to," said Mr Church-Taylor.

"For her trouble she was arrested and spent the rest of the night in custody."