A JUDGE yesterday called on warring factions in a family feud to "draw a line" under their dispute.

Judge Richard Lowden made his comments after sentencing a woman and her nephew for a drunken armed attack at her in-laws' home.

Durham Crown Court heard Suzanne Walton burst into the home of father and mother-in-law David and Brenda Walton, in Hatfield Place, Peterlee, at 5pm on Sunday, September 25.

Kathryn Dunn, prosecuting, said: "There's a background, a long-running family feud between all parties in this case."

Miss Dunn said that, in the incident which followed, Mr Walton fended off hammer blows delivered by Walton, and an axe wielded by Dean Pearce, at the doorstep, but only suffered minor cuts to his forearm and hand.

Walton was angry that paint had been daubed over her house.

Police arrived to find Mr Walton armed with a kitchen knife, holding Suzanne Walton in a headlock, shouting: "Take her away."

Earlier, Walton used a spade to damage sister-in-law Lisa Atherton's car, outside her home in Daffodil Avenue, Horden.

Both Walton, 39, of The Coppice, Easington Colliery, and 24-year-old Pearce, now of Highmoor Caravan Park, Skipton, North Yorkshire, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, criminal damage and possessing an offensive weapon.

Anne Haugstad, mitigating for Walton, a dental assistant, said relations soured after she married Anthony Walton earlier this year.

It led to a series of claims and counter claims about the actions of both sides, which led to her and her new husband having to move away from Peterlee.

Don MacFaul, mitigating for Pearce, said he went along out of family loyalty to his aunt.

Judge Lowden imposed a six-month prison sentence on Walton, suspended for two years, and issued a 12-month prohibition on her movements.

Pearce was given an 18-month supervision order, to include 100 hours of community punishment work.

The judge said he accepted there was provocation, but he warned both that any further incidents would probably see them jailed.

He added: "What's important today, and in future, is that a heavily-marked line is drawn in the sand under what has gone on."