A BURNLEY College lecturer will lose his job for a "moment of madness" road rage attack on another driver at a roundabout in the town.

Father of two, William Joseph Haddock, 42, was said to have punched "elderly" Douglas Denson in the head, after ‘yanking’ open his car door and screaming at him that he was driving like an idiot.

Mr Denson, whose wife was shouting he had a heart condition, said the assault was totally unprovoked, he was left with scratches and had to go to hospital, Burnley magistrates heard.

Haddock claimed he had been livid because Mr Denson cut him up and his two children, who were in the vehicle, could have been injured.

The defendant, an IT lecturer, school governor, external verifier for the Oxford and Cambridge Examinations Board and voluntary church youth worker, has been suspended from the college since the incident on December 23.

He was set to lose his employment today as well as the other positions, on conviction, the court heard.

The defendant fought back tears as his solicitor told the hearing: "He and his family are going to lose everything that they have."

Haddock, of Brockenhurst Street, Burnley, admitted assault by beating.

He was given a 12-month community order, with 66 hours unpaid work and must pay £100 compensation and £50 costs.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, told the court at just after midday, Mr Denson was at the Gannow roundabout with his wife and 13-year-old grand-daughter in his car.

He pulled out to go to the town centre.

A vehicle pulled in front and forced him to stop.

Haddock got out, went towards him, yanked opened his door and began punching him in the head.

Miss Akhtar said another driver intervened.

For Haddock, John Nuttall, said the "moment of madness" was caused to cost the defendant a lot.