A court was told this morning how two elderly women came to blows in a Zabbar street, with one of the women ending up with her dress torn and her breasts exposed.

Rita Camenzuli, 66 of Zabbar, described in court how she had gone to buy gas in Triq San Lawrenz, Zabbar on September 1, 2011 at 9 a.m. As she chatted with the gas vendor, 73-year-old Rosanne Magro rudely pushed herself in between the two of them and made the sign of the cross.

Ms Camenzuli said she asked her why she made the sign of the cross. "Am I possessed, do I need to be exorcised" she asked her.

At this point Ms Magro grabbed her and throttled her. She then ripped open her dress, exposing her breasts in front of the gas man.

The evidence was given as Ms Camenzuli stood accused of slightly injuring Ms Magro,. Ms Magro had been previously acquitted of the same charge in separate proceedings.

Also taking the witness stand, Claire Bugeja, who lived close to the scene of the incident, said she heard shouting, ran out and saw Rita Camenzuli standing with a torn dress.

Another neighbour, Isabelle Axisa, said she saw Ms Magro rudely push herself between the vendor and Camenzuli and grab Camenzuli by the throat. She said she helped Ms Camenzuli and took her home.

Defence Counsel Peter Paul Zammit said that his client, Ms Magro, had reacted to Ms Camenzuli's comment. His client, he said, was a 73-year-old woman who used a walking stick, and she was only reacting to the comment addressed to her.

At this point, Ms Camenzuli, in one of several interruptions, remarked loudly to the court that she had never seen Ms Magro using a walking stick and she did not have one in court. Her lawyer, Dr Mark Busuttil, told her to be quiet.

Dr Busuttil said that it was clear that Ms Magro had turned up and attacked Ms Camenzuli.

Magistrate Edwina Grima acquitted her on the basis of conflicting evidence.