A man has been jailed for five years after carrying out a vicious knife attack on his friend which left him partially paralysed.

Mark Cartlidge, 20, of South Terrace, Littlehampton, admitted wounding his friend, Peter Reeves.

Lewes Crown Court heard how Mr Reeves suffered wounds to his head, face, hand and leg in the assault, which took place on November 4, last year.

One of the wounds was so serious, Mr Reeves had to be transferred to a specialist neurological hospital where surgeons removed a blood clot from his brain.

The injuries caused him to suffer from partial paralysis and he had difficulty speaking, the court heard.

The friends fell out after spending the evening drinking at pubs in Littlehampton, before going on to the town's Tower Club.

Prosecutor Richard Barton said it was in the club that Cartlidge became annoyed with his pal after he was left sitting alone at a table.

Mr Barton said the pair had split up that evening in "bad odour" but then Mr Reeves decided to find Cartlidge to "sort the matter out".

The court heard when Mr Reeves was in St Catherine's Road, where Cartlidge's mother lives, he was attacked by the defendant, who was riding a bicycle.

During the knife attack, witnesses said Cartlidge said: "I'm going to kill you."

After the assault, Cartlidge rode off on his bike, leaving his victim bleeding in the street.

Mr Barton said customers at the nearby Windmill Pub went to Mr Reeves's aid and tried to stem the blood flow with towels.

Cartlidge then went on the run and camped rough for a number of days before giving himself up to the police.

He later told officers he had burned his blood-stained clothes and hurled the weapon into a river.

The court heard Cartlidge had a previous conviction for assault when he attacked railway staff at Worthing station on Christmas Eve, 1996.

Hugh Rose, a family friend, told the court Cartlidge had changed since his arrest and was now taking education courses and making steps to attend an anger management course.

Peter Woodall, defending, said Cartlidge claimed he got the knife from the victim during the struggle.

He said: "Mark Cartlidge committed what was a grave assault on Mr Reeves, someone he knew for many years, who was a friend."

Jailing him, Judge Richard Brown, said: "This was an horrendous attack on a young man you called your friend.

"Those injuries have had and will continue to have, a devastating effect on the victim and his work prospects."