A Manchester United fan, stunned by his side's 5-0 defeat to title rivals Newcastle United, got drunk and climbed 150 feet up a church spire, a court was told in Bridlington yesterday.

For two hours specialist police negotiators and firemen tried to persuade 28 year old Mark Heaton down from the top of Trinity Church in East Yorkshire.

Heaton was hanging on to the parapet and swearing at the negotiators, prosecuting lawyer Stephen Downing told Bridlington magistrates' court.

Efforts to coax him on to the turntable ladder continued for more than two hours.

Heaton said: "I am sorry for all the inconvenience. I had too much to drink. My friends in the pub dared me to climb the spire."

Having admitted intending to cause harassment, using insulting and abusive language, he was fined £100 and ordered to pay £40 costs.