A WOMAN who had spent nearly 12 hours in A and E and been examined and discharged twice eventually had to be removed by police.

Blackburn magistrates heard Louise Marie Henwood refused to accept that there was no reason for her to be detained and was lying on a trolley.

The chairman of the magistrates told Henman she should be aware of how important the work of staff in the A and E department is.

"They need all the help they can get," he said.

"There is a great deal of pressure on staff and beds are at a premium. The doctors and nurses do a wonderful job under all kinds of pressure and they do not need any more unnecessary problems to deal with."

Henwood, 32, of the Salvation Army Hostel, Heaton Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to causing a nuisance on NHS premises on April 11.

She was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said police were called to Royal Blackburn Hospital at 3.30pm because Henwood was refusing to leave having been there since 4am.

"She had twice been examined by doctors and deemed to be mentally and physically fit," said Mr Robinson.

"She had been discharged twice and there was no need for her to be at the hospital.

"When police arrived she was lying on a trolley and swore at them when they asked her to leave."

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said Henwood was not a particularly well person and was generally heavily medicated.

"She recalls going to the hospital and not feeling well enough to leave," said Mr Taylor.

"She wasn't disturbing other people but the nurses clearly wanted her out of the hospital."