A MOTHER was terrified when another motorist wrenched open her car door and threw the ignition keys into a field before driving off, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Kerry Yin had her two children aged six years and nine months in the back of her car at the time of the incident on Belmont Road, Abbey Village.

The court was told that she made frantic efforts to lock her door before salesman Keith Andrew Irwen snatched it open and as he ran towards her car Mrs Yin thought he was going to hit her.

Irwen, 38, of Radstock Close, Sharples, Bolton, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour. He was fined £500 and ordered to pay £300 compensation and £65 costs.

Nick Turner, prosecuting, said a motorcyclist chased after Irwen's car to get his registration number.

John Dewhurst, defending, said it was Irwen's first appearance in court for a criminal offence.

He said Irwen drives 20,000 miles a year and maintained that his driving had been safe and correct on the day of the incident.

He felt Mrs Yin had first braked unnecessarily in front of him and when he tried to overtake she accelerated, forcing him to drop back because the car coming in the opposite direction was bearing down on him.