A WOMAN biker threatened ‘to bite the face off’ a woman who had been friends for 40 years.

Dena Ballam thought Hazel Giles was taking over her organisational role in the ‘tribe’ of bikers who meet weekly in the large car park at Teignmouth Railway Station.

Ballam went into the Whistlestop Cafe at the station and confronted Miss Giles with a volley of foul-mouthed verbal abuse.

She was said to be foaming at the mouth with anger as she threatened Ms Giles, who she felt had marginalised her within the biker gang which they both belonged to.

Ballam, aged 61, of Strawberry Lane, Kingsteignton, admitted a causing harassment, alarm or distress and was fined £234 with £250 compensation by Newton Abbot magistrates.

Prosecutor Mr Chris Bittlestone said both women were at the meeting in the car park in May adding: ‘There is bad blood between them.’

Ballam called Miss Giles a ‘****’ and a ‘lezzer’ as a third woman stood between them and said ‘enough is enough’ and told Ballam to get on her way.

Towards the end of the incident Ballam said she would ‘bite your face off’ to Miss Giles.

Miss Giles told police Ballam was ‘foaming at the mouth’ and used the extremely offensive language towards her.

She said it left her and her partner feeling scared and looking over their shoulders ever since.

In police interview Ballam admitted using the offensive language but denied saying she would bite her face off.

Mark Drew, defence solicitor, said: ‘It was a 40 year old friendship turned sour. Her temper bubbled over and she acted in an unreasonable way.

‘It was a one off, out of character.’

He said she felt marginalised by Miss Giles in the bike group which was ‘her tribe’.