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A shopper fell for a stranger and had sex over the bonnet of a car in broad daylight.

Katy Holmes, 33, wept as she heard she had narrowly avoided jail for her 9.45am romp with a man she had met in a newsagent’s shop.

Magistrates were told the couple met as she bought a bottle of water.

A mum had to shield her child’s eyes before she dialled 999. The man fled over a fence in the cul-de-sac as an officer grabbed his ankles.

Prosecutor Don Green said: “She saw Holmes and the man remove articles of clothing and have sex. The first time she was on the bonnet.

"The second time he was. Holmes was smiling and laughing and appeared to be enjoying what was going on.”

Holmes admitted the act and was given a suspended jail term by Blackpool magistrates.

She told police: “The man started flirting with me.

"We had met at the newsagents. I was on the way home.

“What happened was consensual - but I accept people who saw what was going on might think it lewd and offensive.”

Chairman of the bench Stephen Musgrave told her: "This offence took place in public, in the day time and there were children present.

"These are aggravating circumstances and almost put you straight behind bars."