A FORMER long-serving councillor who lost her seat after being found guilty of a vicious attack on her neighbour has had the conviction quashed.

Farmer Jane Parlour, of Dalton-on-Tees, near Darlington, held her head in her hands and wept as judge Recorder Michael Slater upheld her appeal against the conviction for assault after finding there was insufficient evidence to uphold it.

He also found she had no case to answer over her conviction for using threatening or abusive words and dissolved a two-year restraining order banning her from contacting her neighbour Liz Kearney's family, imposed alongside a £600 fine when she was sentenced in March.

Teesside Crown Court had heard Mrs Kearney had been left with bald patches after Miss Parlour tore enough hair from her head to fill a pot during the fight, which happened in front of children on a street in the village on July 13 last year.

The 53-year-old former social worker, who was Richmondshire District Council's planning committee chairman at the time, disputed evidence from Mrs Kearney that she had started the fracas and a villager told the court how he had seen Mrs Kearney acting aggressively after the fight.

Miss Parlour said the incident had unfolded as Mrs Kearney attempted stop her from warning a child about the dangers of playing on hay bales.

She admitted grabbing hold of Mrs Kearney's hair first, but said it was in a desperate attempt to end a sumo wrestling-style struggle between the women, who had not spoken for the previous 16 months over a bullying allegation between their children.

When questioned by Philip Morgan, prosecuting, why all the witnesses to the incident had reported seeing Miss Parlour knee or try to knee Mrs Kearney in the face, Mrs Kearney shaking her or her claim that Mr Kearney had threatened to punch her, Miss Parlour said it was because their statements were inaccurate.

Mr Recorder Slater said: "The only people who can say what happened during the course of the incident, from start to finish, are the appellant and complainant."

After the hearing, the council's former leader and fellow Independent councillor, John Blackie, said an ombudsman was due to announce the findings of an investigation into whether the council acted properly in passing a planning application from Miss Parlour to build a barn beside the Kearney's home shortly after the fight.

He added: "Thank God that dear old British justice has delivered the proper and just verdict that has endorsed the trust and confidence I have placed in Jane."