Lisa Atherton, 41, struggled so violently with officers a protective helmet had to be put on her head, her legs confined in restraints, her wrists handcuffed and soft mats placed in the cell.

The single mother, who had been arrested on suspicion of drink driving, objected when staff asked her to remove the pyjamas she was wearing and put on a paper suit, as the cord in the bottoms of her pyjamas could have been used to harm herself.

Atherton, a care worker at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, of Burnage Gardens, South Shore, admitted assault and failing to provide a breath specimen for alcohol testing.

Swerved

Claire Hilton, prosecuting, said the defendant was driving a Rover on Watson Road, on April 5 at 12.18am, when she swerved.

An officer in a police vehicle had to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

When civilian detention officers at the cells said she must remove the pyjamas she had been arrested in, she struggled so violently she had to be extensively restrained.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client expected to spend the night in and she drank some wine and took a sleeping tablet.

Her 12-year-old daughter was staying with friends, but she received a call from the girl asking to be collected and taken home.

Atherton suffered from panic attacks and had one when she was under severe stress in the cells.

She was sentenced to 12 months supervision, ordered to pay £50 compensation, pay £60 costs and banned from driving for a year by Blackpool magistrates.