TWO sisters have been banned for life from 25 pubs after a 'vicious and unprovoked' attack on two teenage girls.

Zoe and Zara Livesey are the first people ever to face the tough sanction in Darwen.

Police said the action meant the sisters could no longer 'prey on innocent young girls'.

The 25 pub and club landlords in the town's Bar U scheme, which issued the bans, said it would act as a strong deterrant.

Speaking yesterday from her home, Zoe, who runs a hair salon in Darwen, said she accepted the ban.

The mum-of-two who is expecting a third child, said: “I got what I deserved and I accept the decision.

“I shouldn’t have got into trouble in the first place and now we both have to accept the situation that we are in. It is a life ban and it’s quite extreme but I know we were out of order.”

Zoe, 30, from Altham and Zara, 24, of Darwen, attacked a 19-year-old girl outside Roxy’s nightclub around 4am on 13 March, by punching and kicking her in the head, police said.

Zoe also attacked an 18-year-old girl who was standing nearby at the time, according to officers.

Police said the attack was 'vicious and unprovoked'.

At court on May 24, Zoe pleaded guilty to assault and battery and was sentenced to total of 26 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years and made subject to a supervision order.

Zara admitted assault and was sentenced to 16 weeks imprisonment suspended for two years, as well as a supervision order.

The ban means the sisters can’t drink in, or buy alcohol from any of the 25 pubs and clubs involved in the scheme.

At present there are 46 people banned under the Bar U scheme, but none is for more than two years.

Community Beat Manager PC Simon Harwood said: “Bar U is not about making people’s lives a misery. It is about protecting the people who don’t cause us problems.

"It is proving to be an effective deterrent in helping to educate young people about how to behave in the town’s pubs and clubs..

“Bar U gives the power back to the licensees to decide who they do and do not want drinking in their pubs and clubs.

"I am completely supportive of the action they have taken against the sisters and I am pleased they can no longer prey on innocent young girls in the town.”

Chair of Bar U and manager of the Bridgewater pub Adam Hulme added: “This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated and by imposing life long bans we are sending a message out that we mean business.

“It’s the first time this group has issued lifetime bans.

“As a group we decided that these women should never be allowed in any of our licenced premises again for the rest of their lives.

"We want everyone using our pubs and clubs to be safe and the scheme is proving a massive deterrent in helping us to achieve this.

“It will protect our staff and customers, and have a massive impact on the women’s social lives, and so it should. I have no sympathy whatsoever for them.”