HYNDBURN Council leader Peter Britcliffe today insisted he would still fight the General Election after his long-term lover was convicted of a second drink-related offence in a month.

Gabrielle Kroger, who has been Coun Britcliffe's partner for 10 years and is the mother of his six-year-old daughter, yesterday pleaded guilty at Trafford Magistrates Court to being drunk while in charge of a child under seven years old and was given a conditional discharge.

It was the second time this month that the hairdresser had appeared in court.

Earlier, she pleaded guilty to a drink-driving charge and was put on probation for a year and banned from driving for 60 months.

Kroger was arrested for the second offence on April 12 -- the day after she had been convicted of the drink-drive offence -- when airport staff reported that a woman was slumped near to the steps of a departure gate.

Magistrates were told she had missed a flight to Germany where she was due to visit her sick parents, who are both 73.

Her mother had just had her leg amputated.

Coun Britcliffe had to collect the youngster from the airport's police station after Kroger had been charged.

She was also ordered to pay £40 costs after the court was told that due to personal circumstances she was entirely dependent on Coun Britcliffe, MP Greg Pope's Tory opponent in the General Election.

Today Coun Britcliffe said: "There's an old saying that strength comes from adversity and I have to say that I feel more strongly than ever about working for the borough.

"The generosity and kindness shown to my family has really brought home to me how much of a privilege it is to represent people in this area.

"If anything, it has focused my determination to continue working on the council and renewed my commitment to fighting and winning the parliamentary seat at the General Election."

Coun Britcliffe added: "The last few weeks have been very difficult for my family and myself, not least of all because we have to deal in a very public way with issues we would have preferred to handle privately.

"It is not secret that Gabrielle has an alcohol-related illness and it is to her credit that she had been able to recognise this and accept the need to undergo the necessary treatment. I'm sure that this will not be an easy route but accepting the problem is an important first step."

He said: "While we would have preferred to deal without all the publicity, I would have to say that the messages of public support have been overwhelming and have made me realise how lucky I am to serve a community in an area like Hyndburn."