A FORMER charity worker has been accused of causing serious injury to a pensioner by “clawing her face” and grabbing her arm during an altercation at a social club.

Alexandra Farenden, aged 33, of Tytherley Green, Bournemouth, has denied causing grievous bodily harm to 70-year-old Winifred Mary Oldham at Avon Social Club in April last year.

Mrs Oldham died in March this year following a stroke but her death was in no way related to this incident.

At Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday, a jury heard that both women were at the social club in Avon Road, Bournemouth, for an Abba tribute night on Saturday, April 11 2015.

Prosecutor Sarah Jones told the court that Mrs Oldham was sat with a group of friends when Farenden approached the table she was sitting at.

“The defendant had a bit of an issue with Mrs Oldham,” said Ms Jones.

“Farenden had been involved with a charity and Mrs Oldham had been critical about the way it was being managed which caused bad feeling.

“The Crown say that on this occasion the defendant lost her temper in drink and caused Mrs Oldham a nasty injury.”

The court heard that Farenden approached the victim with a “strange, sickly grin on her face”.

She went on to verbally abuse the victim, telling her that “everyone at the club hated her”.

Mrs Oldham responded that those people “weren’t worth knowing” and that they didn’t like the defendant either.

The court heard that at this point the argument got physical with Farenden allegedly grabbing one of Mrs Oldham’s arms.

Ms Jones told the jury that in response, Mrs Oldham grabbed the defendants hair.

“The defendant then clawed at the victim's face and took hold of her right arm and pulled,” she added.

The jury heard that Farenden’s partner had to lift her and puller her away from the victim but her grip was so tight that, as she was pulled away, a section of the victim’s arm was torn.

Photographs of the injury which were shown to the jury were described as “graphic”.

The defendant claims that Mrs Oldham grabbed her hair first and that she was acting in self defence. She said she just wanted to talk to Mrs Oldham. The trial continues.