A woman went round to the house of a man she had had affair with and shouted racist abuse through the letterbox, a court heard.

Sharon James, 43, had taken a cocktail of drink an drugs on the day of the outburst earlier this month.

She was heard by a neighbour shouting the racist comments outside the house on Tarporley Walk on the evening of October 3, magistrates were told.

She had recently had an affair with the occupant, who was described in court as mixed race.

A by-stander asked her to calm down but James then began shouting at her and moving towards her, Debbie Byrne, prosecuting said.

The witness's five year-old son was sitting on the stairs and was forced to cover his ears, the court heard.

More neighbours came out and James continued shouting until police arrived and she was arrested.

She told officers  she had gone round to a friend's house where she had been drinking, smoking cannabis and taken an ecstasy tablet.

She said she could remember nothing about the night but it was quite likely she did say the racist words.

James, of Blackden Walk, Colshaw Farm, admitted using racially aggravated words to cause harassment, alarm or distress at Macclesfield magistrates court.

John Gallagher, defending, said: “The incident speaks for itself. “She cannot remember what happened as she was under the influence.

“She has no previous convictions for racist offences, so this is out of character.

“She had had an affair with this gentleman so cannot understand what on earth she was doing.

Mr Gallagher told the court Mrs James' husband had since left her because of the offence and her affair.

James was given an 18-month conditional discharge on Wednesday.

Chairwoman of the bench Helen Jarman said: "There are aggravating features in that a child was present and it took place under the influence of alcohol and drugs."