A policeman described how a wounded colleague warned him a suspect was coming towards him with a knife.

PC John Gatland was struggling with another man just feet from where PC Gary Thompson was stabbed, Lewes Crown Court heard.

PC Gatland said: "I heard a shout - it was Gary's voice. He said 'John, he has stabbed me, he has got a knife'.

"I looked over and saw Gary on the ground and a man coming towards me from just a few feet away. I rolled on to my back and I felt very frightened."

The court heard the two officers had been called to a disturbance in a flat at Rock Place, Southwick, on June 29 last year at 1am.

As they entered the courtyard three men appeared out of the darkness, the court heard.

The prosecution alleges James Richards, 35, his son, Jonathan Richards, 17, and Shaun Kelly, 18, were involved in a disturbance at one of the flats minutes before the officers arrived.

The court heard the men were confronted by both officers as they made off after an alleged attack on resident Simon Cowley.

PC Thompson was stabbed twice in the back during a struggle with James Richards, the court was told.

He received life-threatening injuries, including a punctured kidney, caused by an 8in knife.

PC Gatland said: "After two or three seconds the man who came towards me went back to Gary.

"He paused, looked at him, and then ran off. I went over to Gary and used my radio to call for help.

"I looked up and saw a man running down the road. His arms were pumping up and down.

"I could see he had a knife with a long blade in his hand."

Earlier the court heard Kelly had been robbed of cannabis supplied by James Richards three weeks earlier.

Kelly believed Simon Cowley was responsible and went with the Richards' to the flat.

The prosecution alleges James Richards went armed with a knife and Kelly had a billiard ball in a sock.

After leaving the scene the three men were said to have called Kelly's mother, Mandy Stephenson, and asked her to pick them up.

It was alleged she picked them up and drove them before ordering them to get out.

It was claimed the men were later picked up by Lynda Cole, a friend of Stephenson.

James Richards, of West Paddock Court, Northampton, denies attempting to murder PC Thompson and an alternative charge of wounding with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

James Richards and Jonathan Richards, of Wilmot Court, Shoreham, and Kelly, of Church Green, Shoreham, deny conspiring to assault Simon Cowley and aggravated burglary.

Cole, 29, and Stephenson, 41, both of Church Green, Shoreham, deny conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The trial was adjourned until Tuesday.