A NURSE who bent back an old lady's fingers and verbally abused patients has been struck off the nursing register.

Christine Cooke abused the elderly woman along with six other patients at a home in Chorley.

The night shift nurse pushed some residents into walls, swore at others, and even ignored one old lady who had fallen out of bed.

She also spent weeks refusing to speak to a grieving widow who had complained to the matron of the home about Cooke's rudeness, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

David Glendinning, for the NMC, said Cooke often upset one woman, identified only as Resident B.

He told the hearing: "The woman had come downstairs during the night and Cooke took her back to her room.

"Suddenly Cooke came along behind her and, using both of her hands, pushed her in the back into her room.

"She held her by the wrists almost spread-eagled for about two minutes before eventually releasing her.

"On another occasion, she grabbed Resident B's hands and tried to force her to sit on the bed.

"Cooke was squeezing the lady's hands together until Resident B started to kick out.

"A care assistant saw Cooke squeezing Resident B's fingers together and bending them back when undressing her.

"On one occasion, Cooke said to her: 'Look at all them wrinkles on your face. That is because you are old.'

"She also told her she stank and was filthy."

When faced with the allegations, Cooke allegedly told matron Carol Dodd she was acting in self-defence against the 'aggressive' woman.

It is also claimed the nurse verbally abused a male resident of the 50-bed Marley Court Nursing and Residential home.