A MOTHER and daughter were arrested after a fight broke out at a wedding party, a court was told.

Police arrived and quickly halted the scuffle, which broke out between guests outside the pub where the reception was being held.

Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court heard that, as officers were speaking with the guests, they heard screaming and shouting, and turned to see Ellen Hops holding another woman by the hair.

As they tried to calm her down, she kicked out at one of the officers and was arrested.

At this point, her daughter Leanne Hopps, 24, started to shout abuse and was also arrested.

Andrew Clinton, mitigating, said his clients had not been the principal protagonists at the party, held at a pub in Henknowle, near Bishop Auckland.

"The background is this was a wedding where there were heightened emotions and a family gathering, and things got a little bit out of hand," he told magistrates.

Leanne Hopps, of Douthwaite Road, and Ellen Hopps, 42, of Farm Close, both Bishop Auckland, admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.

Ellen Hopps also pleaded guilty to resisting arrest.

Presiding magistrate Margaret Cunningham gave each woman a six-month conditional discharge and ordered Ellen to pay £75 costs and Leanne £30 costs.

Mrs Cunningham said: "Even if you're celebrating you should not let things get out of hand.

"We need to encourage our policemen to operate without being hampered. Contact with a leg is a kick by any other name and is not acceptable."