In the dim light, the mum claimed she saw her alleged attacker Claire Moroney's husband, John, at the foot of the bed but could not recall if he was clothed or not. The alleged victim, who had invited the Moroneys to her home, shouted out before leaping out of bed and heading downstairs to alert her partner, who was asleep, Burnley Crown Court heard.

The defendant later claimed to the police any sexual contact was consensual but the woman had freaked out, the jury was told.

Moroney (35), of Barrowford Road, Colne, denies sexual assault last November.

Mr John O'Shea (prosecuting) said the Moroneys had got talking to the other woman and her partner over drinks in a Nelson pub and in the early hours were invited back to their home where the alleged victim undressed and put on her pyjamas over her underwear. The couples were in the living room or kitchen and had more drinks - and cannabis was passed round - before the alleged victim went upstairs to bed.

Mr O'Shea said the alleged victim woke to find her pyjama bottoms and knickers in disarray. She had to slap her partner to wake him to tell him what had happened in the bedroom and to ask the Moroneys to leave.

Police later found articles of the defendant's clothes in the bedroom where the incident was said to have taken place. Moroney told officers all of them had had a lot to drink and in the pub there had been a conversation of a sexual nature between herself and the alleged victim's partner.

The defendant claimed the alleged victim had unlocked her bedroom door and invited her into bed and the sexual contact between them was consensual. She added her husband had been present at the time and she agreed she had taken off her clothes.

Mr O'Shea alleged: "The Crown says this was a sexual assault by the defendant on the woman. The defedant says it's nothing of the sort, it was sexual activity between herself and the woman with her consent."

The case is proceeding