A WOMAN has been banned from a leisure centre after a racist incident at a Valentine's disco.

A scuffle broke out between two women, Debby Hughes and Chris Robinson, after a disagreement over a kissogram at Winwick Leisure centre. The kissogram, booked for Mrs Hughes's husband's birthday, turned out to be saucy act.

Mrs Hughes, of Maple Road, claimed when the kissogram had finished her show Mrs Robinson made disparaging remarks to her, grabbed her hair and hit her. She retaliated with, what the parish council has described as "racist and obscene language."

Chris Robinson, of Hollins Lane, claims she asked Mrs Hughes, and others how far the kissogram was going to go as she felt it was inappropriate for a family evening.

She had been reassured the kissogram would not go too far, but, she alleges, the final time she expressed her concern Mrs Hughes responded by slapping her face.

Mrs Robinson said: "I was shocked and, against my moral judgement, I hit her back but my husband took me away."

She further claims Mrs Hughes taunted her by exposing her breasts on the dance floor and coming out with a torrent of racial abuse. Mrs Robinson denies making any remarks about Mrs Hughes.

"I have never heard anything like it before and I certainly didn't say anything to Mrs Hughes. I have lived in this village for 16 years and never experienced racism before. I have always been very happy here. You are aware that it happens. But it has never been an issue for us," said Mrs Robinson.

She said that she regretted hitting Mrs Hughes but had responded in the heat of the moment and said there was no excuse for the language she used.

"Other human beings should not talk to each other like that. It has left me worrying whether this is what people are really thinking."

Mrs Hughes has criticised Winwick Parish Council's decision to ban her from the centre for 12 months.

She claims it is an over reaction to something that happened in the heat of the moment: "I feel like I'm being persecuted. It is really grinding me down - I can only take so much. It seems to me they have just dismissed the fight and just gone for the racism."

She added that she regretted making the racist remarks.

A statement issued by Chris Haggett, the clerk of Winwick Parish Council, said: "The parish council has expressed its great disappointment and regret at events that occurred during the Valentine's disco.

"The council considers the behaviour of one individual was inappropriate and unacceptable and as a result that individual has been banned from attending future social functions at this centre for 12 months."

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