A hotel manager and waiter traded blows after a boozy staff do descended into a punch-up.

Saimir Shehu punched waiter Kamil Domagala after leaving the bash at The Mansion Hotel, Eastbourne.

But he was cleared of any wrongdoing after telling a court today that Mr Domagala had hit him first.

Mr Shehu, 29, was among staff from four Eastbourne hotels at a late Christmas do on January 4, last year.

His brother was waiting in a car outside The Mansion at 1am to pick him up.

Mr Domagala and a colleague left before him to buy some cigarettes.

Mr Shehu said he saw the Polish waiter sitting in the front seat of the Renault Clio next to his brother.

He told a jury at Hove Crown Court that Mr Domagala swore at him after he said he did not know where he could by cigarettes at that time of night.

Mr Shehu added: "He refused to get out of the car and swore at me.

"I got hold of his arm with both hands to remove him.

"He threw a punch as I pulled him out which hit my left eye.

"I pushed him back but he came towards me aggressively.

"I hit him in self-defence in the face more than once.

"He was throwing punches at me at the same time.

"He grabbed me and we went down onto the road together.

"As we went down people separated us. It was very quick."

Mr Domagala alleged he had suffered a broken finger and bruises during an unprovoked attack.

Mr Shehu came to England from Albania in 1998 and is now a British citizen.

He had worked at hotels in Eastbourne since then and is now starting his own cafe.

The jury took just 45 minutes yesterday to find him not guilty of causing actual bodily harm.