Two love rivals have been jailed after they used their cars as battering rams in a bloody clash.

Roger Thorpe and John Hannington were soaked in blood as they chased each other in a Mercedes and a Mitsubishi Shogun.

Teenage footballers were forced to dive out of the way as both vehicles drove onto Eridge Green on the Landport Estate in Lewes.

Hannington's badly damaged Mercedes came to a halt on the green and Thorpe drove round it in circles repeatedly ramming it.

A court heard the two men were involved in a love triangle feud over Thorpe seeing Hannington's ex-partner Jodie Ward.

Thorpe had quit his job and gone into hiding with her but Hannington had got hold of a photograph of him and addresses for his family.

Hannington was staking out one of the addresses and watching Thorpe through binoculars when things came to a head on July 22. Michael Warren, prosecuting, said Thorpe found Hannington and another man sitting in the Mercedes behind garages on the estate.

Witnesses said the Shogun rammed the Mercedes and Thorpe got out of the Shogun.

There was a violent struggle through the sun roof of the Mercedes in which both men received stab wounds and Thorpe suffered a punctured lung.

Mr Warren said: “When that stopped the Mercedes reversed and drove into the Shogun, knocking it out of the way.”

One witness described how the Mercedes rammed the Shogun from behind in Landport Road moments later.

Hannington and his passenger fled from the car as two police officers arrived and Thorpe sped off in the Shogun.

Thorpe, 48, of Allington Road, Newick, near Lewes, pleaded guilty to affray and dangerous driving when he appeared at Hove Crown Court yesterday. Hannington, 40, of Carden Avenue, Brighton, admitted the same charges. Both were jailed for two-and-a-half years and banned from driving for the same period.

Julian Dale, defending, said Thorpe had left his job and gone into hiding with Ms Ward.

Mr Dale said: “Texts were sent to his family suggesting a contract had been taken out on him and that he had been killed, causing considerable upset.”

He added: “He accepts that he completely lost control of his temper and that his driving on the green was dangerous.”

Lewis Power, defending Hannington, said: “One could have been forgiven for thinking that there was a stock car race going on in the area.

“This incident spiralled out of control as a result of jealousy in the context of a love triangle.

“He has two children, has lived in Brighton all his life and is a member of the Evangelical Church.

“He wants to apologise face to face to the children and members of the public who witnessed his disgraceful behaviour.”

Judge Cedric Joseph said: “It is fortunate, and no thanks to either of you, that nobody was seriously injured as a result.”