NEARLY £600 worth of damage was caused to a taxi which stopped outside the Plane Tree pub in Little Harwood expecting to pick up a fare.

Blackburn magistrates heard that instead Sean Paul McGurk ran out of the pub and apparently attacked the vehicle for no reason.

But defence solicitor Basharat Ditta told the magistrates that McGurk had been lashing out at other people and it was now accepted that he had not intentionally damaged the vehicle. "He has agreed to pay for the damage and on that basis the prosecution accept that he was reckless and the damage was not intentional," said Mr Ditta.

McGurk, 22, of Whitebirk Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to criminal damage. He was ordered to pay £622 compensation.