A JUDGE has ordered the landlady of a pub favoured by Newcastle United fans to destroy a scarf - after deciding it was offensive to supporters of arch-rivals Sunderland.

But last night Yvonne Mann won an unexpected ally among Wearside fans.

Peter Daykin, editor of the Sunderland fanzine A Love Supreme, said: "This is completely barmy. I don't know a single Sunderland supporter who would have been offended by that scarf."

Police claimed that displaying the scarf - wording on which rubbished the Sunderland team - amounted to a public order offence.

And yesterday, although her solicitor argued the decision was "political correctness gone mad", Ms Mann, 42, was found guilty at Newcastle Magistrates' Court and ordered to pay £580.

The scarf was hung above the bar of the Adelphi pub, in the city's Shakespeare Street, a favourite of Magpies fans.

Three police officers visited the bar in March and confiscated the banner.

Simon Worthy, prosecuting, said the decision to take the case to court was not solely based on suggestions the scarf could stir up hatred towards Sunderland supporters, but also that it would cause offence to members of the public passing the pub.

But Mrs Mann's solicitor, John Wesencraft, said: "If you go to any football ground in the country, throughout the course of 90 minutes that's the sort of language you will hear.

"In the context of football, is it abusive or is it simply ill-educated? Is it just part of the whole experience, the genre of supporting a football team - in which case it is not offensive, it is not abusive, it is just part of what goes on?"

He added: "Can we not have a joke even at the expense of someone else? Is this not political correctness gone mad? Can we not have a bit of poking of fun at supporters of the opposition?"

Mrs Mann had denied a charge under Section 5.1 Public Order Act 1986 relating to displaying any writing, signs or physical representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting and likely cause someone harassment, alarm or distress. The scarf was forfeited and will be destroyed.