THREE friends narrowly avoided prison for an unprovoked attack on a woman as she rode her bike to shops near her home.

She was punched by drunken pair Geoffrey Vanes and Martin Gordon as Michaela Watt shouted encouragement.

The victim was left with a cut eye and bruising to her elbows, arms and legs after the incident near Hartlepool town centre.

Teesside Crown Court heard on Friday that Vanes, 26, also pulled the front wheel from the bike and hit the victim with it.

Gordon, 23, stamped on the dazed victim and her mountain bike, and threw the wheel at her as she staggered from the scene.

Prosecutor Matthew Bean said it was accepted Watt, 21, took no part in the violence, but "shouted words of encouragement".

The three, all from Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to the July 9 affray and were given eight-month suspended prison sentences.

They were each ordered to pay £150 in compensation by Judge Peter Armstrong, and to undergo Probation Service supervision.

Vanes, of Willow Walk, was also put on an alcohol treatment course after the judge heard he could not do unpaid work.

Jobless Watt, of Arkley Crescent, was ordered to do 80 hours of community work and attend an anger management course.

Out-of-work welder Gordon, of Elliott Street, was given 120 hours of unpaid work and put on a thinking skills programme.

His barrister, Paul Abrahams, described him as a "general nuisance".

Mr Abrahams added: "If he grows up, he could make progress."

Rupert Doswell, for Vanes, said he had obsessive destructive disorder and his medication and alcohol did not mix.

Watt's solicitor, Martin Scarborough, said: "She should have walked away, but didn't."

He added: "She had a bit of drink that day."