A BLAZING row between a man and his ex-girlfriend over the custody of their children led to his new partner launching a hammer attack on a car.

Furious Sophie Stanford overheard the slanging match between her boyfriend Alex Drake and his ex.

So as soon as Drake put the phone down, the pair jumped into their car and drove to the ex's house in Upton-upon-Severn and banged on the door.

But the woman refused to let them in, so Stanford grabbed a ratchet hammer and smashed the front, back and side windows of a Ford Sierra parked outside the house.

The car belonged to the woman's father, Worcester magistrates heard.

Sally Hill, prosecuting, revealed relations between Mr Drake and his ex-partner had deteriorated after rows over access to their four children.

"She was not prepared to let them in," said Miss Hill.

"Mr Drake appears to have got back in the motor vehicle and Miss Stanford got out and started to attack the windows of the car.

"She appears to have used a ratchet hammer to smash the front and rear and side windows. The extent of the damage amounts to £275."

Richard Wilkes, defending, said the "domestic" incident had got out of hand.

"There's been a battle for custody of these children which has been on-going since the start of the relationship between Miss Stanford and Mr Drake eight months ago," said Mr Wilkes, defending yesterday.

"She reached breaking point and couldn't take any more.

"They went round to try and sort thing out but comments were made from one side and back again."

He said Stanford, who owns a skip-hire business, lost control and regretted the incident, on Monday, June 24.

The 29-year-old, of The Sandfield, Tewkesbury, admitted criminal damage and failing to surrender to bail on Tuesday, July 2.

She was fined £120 for criminal damage, ordered to pay £275 compensation to the car owner and £55 court costs.