Magistrates have praised a pub manager for her bravery during a drunken brawl.

Rebecca Jeffcock, manager at the Bollin Fee in Wilmslow, was seen restraining violent punters in CCTV footage of a fight.

Lewis Millar, 20, of Gregg Mews and Kevin Farr, 35, from Farnham, Surrey, admitted affray when they appeared before Macclesfield magistrates.

Miss Jeffcock intervened in the bust-up which involved chairs and glasses thrown across the pub and customers brawling on the floor.

The chairman of the bench Mrs Julia Cawson said: “I would like to take this opportunity to commend the actions of the manager who defused a very unpleasant and aggressive situation.”

On October 13 Miss Jeffcock received a call from staff to say it was ‘kicking off’.

The court heard that Farr, who had been drinking in the pub with three workmates after finishing a removal job, threatened bar staff.

Miss Jeffcock asked him to leave but he continued to abuse staff.

Prosecuting, Sonia Bellerby told the court that customers tried to calm him down but he punched one of them and a fight broke out.

She said: “Mr Farr picked up a chair and went to throw it but the manager managed to take him outside to calm down.

“She was scared for herself and her staff.”

The court heard Millar had drunk about five pints in another pub and got involved in the fight after his friend intervened.

CCTV showed him throwing a glass and kicking a man who was fighting on the floor.

Defending Millar, Ruth Oakes, said: “The person Mr Millar was with was assaulted and, as Mr Millar was with him, he was assaulted too.

“In retaliation he threw a glass and kicked out twice.

“Whatever was going on was nothing to do with him and he was only involved for a matter of seconds. He was shocked when he saw the CCTV.

“He is a young man with no previous convictions and has expressed genuine shock and remorse.”

Defending Farr, Roger Badman said he had drunk too much.

Mr Badman added: “He accepts it was disgraceful and is ashamed.

“He is a family man who hasn’t been in trouble for 11 years. He didn’t start the trouble, there was some provocation.

“It was a very ugly incident and he accepts his part in it.”

Millar was given a 12 week prison sentence suspended for 12 months with 140 hours of unpaid work and Farr was given eight weeks suspended for 12 months with 120 hours of unpaid work.

Both men were banned from the Bollin Fee for a year.