Two brothers have denied attacking a neighbour in a row over parking.

Joe and Sam Cooper are alleged to have punched and kicked Robert Willis after asking him to move his partner's car, which was due to be scrapped the next day.

A court heard there had been tension between neighbours about parking in The Chestnuts, Sayers Common, near Haywards Heath.

Sam Cooper said he went with his brother Joe, their partners and babies to The Poacher pub, Hurstpierpoint.

They could not park outside Joe Cooper's house when they returned, Hove Crown Court was told.

Sam Cooper said his brother went to talk to Mr Willis about parking when he saw him come out of his house and go next door to his partner's home.

He said: "Joe asked him to sort the cars out because there was nowhere to park. The man kept walking towards the front door and Joe followed him, trying to get an answer."

He said Joe Cooper and Mr Willis went inside the house and he followed them to the front door to tell his brother it was not worth an argument.

He said he saw Mr Willis with fists clenched and then he threw a punch at his brother. Sam Cooper said: "I tried to get in the middle and push them apart. Robert Willis had fallen over but was holding on to Joe.

"I was trying to push him away from Joe and pull Joe off him at the same time.

"I did not kick him in the back of the neck and I did not pin him down."

Joe Cooper, 22, of Wisden Avenue, Brighton, and Sam Cooper, 24 of Birchgrove Crescent, Brighton, both deny causing Mr Willis actual bodily harm on February 18 last year.

Joe Cooper later told police he was acting in self-defence and his brother was acting as peacemaker.

He maintained his right not to give evidence to the jury yesterday and relied on a statement he made to police after the brothers were arrested.

The court heard that both brothers have no previous convictions and neither had asked for solicitors to be present during police interviews, saying they had nothing to hide.

Joe Cooper told officers he had followed Mr Willis into the house after he told him to "sort it out with the missus".

He claimed Mr Willis hit him first and he had retaliated by punching him twice in the face.

He denied that he had punched and kicked Mr Willis up to 20 times.

The trial continues.