A 23-year-old lost an eye after allegedly being shot in the face with a catapult by a man called Mr King at the site of the Battle of Hastings.

Isaac Fuller has been left blind in his left eye following the incident at Battle Abbey - the presumed site of the historic battle - on May 24 this year.

Mr Fuller was set upon by two men, Anthony Adams and Eli King, Brighton Crown Court was told yesterday.

The court was told the incident took place at the entrance to the abbey, where it is believed the battle which saw King Harold lose his eye after being shot with an arrow in 1066 took place.

Opening the case yesterday Janice Brennan, prosecuting, said after the attack Mr Fuller was “completely covered in blood”.

“He was battered and bruised, had lost his teeth and had completely lost his left eye,” she said.

“He was attacked by two men. One was Anthony Adams. Mr Adams has pleaded guilty.

“The other was Mr King.”

She explained Mr Fuller, King and Adams knew each other and were part of the travelling community.

She said Mr Fuller's girlfriend, Jane Chapman, used to date King but they no longer got on.

She said Battle “townsfolk” first heard shouts followed by confusion. She said: “At its core it was shouting and abuse.

“Isaac Fuller and his girlfriend were on one side and the defendant and his girlfriend on the other.

“It ended up at the entrance to Battle Abbey where he (Mr Fuller) was viciously attacked with a catapult.

“The catapult was used again. It took out two of Isaac Fuller's teeth. The catapult was shot straight into his eye.”

Miss Brennan said Adams, who she described as a “thug”, then pointed the catapult straight at Ms Chapman's eye but did not fire it.

“He could have taken out one or both eyes,” she said.

“Whatever the nature of the unpleasantness [between Mr Fuller, Adams and King] it does not justify the violence inflicted upon Isaac Fuller.”

King, 23, of Darvel Down, Netherfield, Battle, denies wounding and is in custody.

The trial continues.