A SCHOOLGIRL has pleaded guilty to a charge of using threatening and abusive behaviour which, a court was told, left her teacher 'shaking with fear.'

Hyndburn Youth Court was told the girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, walked into a classroom at Moorhead High School, Cromwell Avenue, Accrington, and started screaming abuse at teachers and pupils.

When challenged by the teacher, the girl became frantic, waving her arms around and kicking chairs around while screaming that she had come to collect her bags.

Earlier in the day, she had been involved in a separate incident, the court was told.

Lisa Worsley, prosecuting, said: "Her tirade of abuse lasted for about 15 minutes, although the teacher in the classroom said it seemed like a lot longer. "She decided not to approach the pupil causing the disturbance because she feared her reaction might put pupils at risk.

"She was very intimidated by the whole incident and was left shaking with fear."

"When the police arrived, they found the girl outside the school building.

"Earlier in the day she had been involved in another incident and as she was taken into the school she became abusive again, threatening 'to take you all on.'

"She was then arrested for a breach of the peace."

The girl, who was in court with her mother and stepfather, admitted the offence although Gillian Lloyd, defending, said the girl did not accept all points of the version of events put forward by the prosecution.

The case was adjourned until November 21 while reports into the girl's future education are compiled. Moorhead's acting headteacher Joan Hayselden, said: "This is an absolutely horrendous incident and one I deplore."