Two brothers told a court how trouble "kicked off" at their parents' Sussex flat while they were on holiday.

Jimmy and George Ibrahim had been left in charge of the flat in Mount Pleasant, Brighton, while their parents were in the United States, a court heard.

George had been to the Honey Club on Brighton seafront on April 10 and brought friends back to the flat in the early hours of the following morning, Hove Crown Court heard yesterday.

One of the friends, 20-year-old Joseph Nti, was stabbed three times during a fight with Rawle Jeffrey the jury was told.

A 12in kitchen knife severed an artery in Mr Nti's forearm.

Mr Nti had intervened after Jeffrey allegedly assaulted a girl in the flat and pulled her along the hall by her hair.

Jeffrey later returned to the flat with Clive Doyley, of Petts Close, Whitehawk, to confront Nti, the court heard.

Jimmy Ibrahim said the two men's car skidded to a halt outside the block of flats as he stood outside the main entrance with a friend.

Mr Ibrahim said: "Jeffrey and the other man ran over. He was very angry and I was scared so I let him in. He had something in his hand, which he put in his back pocket."

He said a few minutes later he heard a man scream and then Mr Nti came running down the stairs bleeding heavily.

Mr Ibrahim said he saw Mr Nti collapse in the road and a few minutes later, the white Ford Sierra Jeffrey and the other man arrived in, drove off at speed.

His brother George said he was in his parents' 11th-floor flat when Jeffrey and Doyley started banging on the door.

He said: "I opened it and Rawle and the other man started kicking off straight away. Jo Nti left the flat and Rawle went after him. The other man kicked off with me and I backed off saying it wasn't worth it.

"There was an air rifle in the hall I use to hunt rabbits and the other man picked it up and started hitting me with it.

"After about ten minutes Rawle came back into the flat with a large kitchen knife and told the other man they were going."

The court heard earlier Mr Nti was stabbed in the abdomen, colon and rear and almost died.

Jeffrey, 24, of Greener House, Clapham, South London, denies attempted murder and an alternative charge of grievous bodily harm.

Doyley denies affray. The trial continues.