A teenager wept as she told a jury at Hove Crown Court how a father-of-two died when he was attacked by a gang with baseball bats.

Amy Heaseman said she watched as her ex-boyfriend repeatedly battered divorcee Gary Rae with a metal bat.

Miss Heaseman, 18, told how some of the others in the gang kicked him after he fell to the ground.

She said she recognised her former boyfriend William Devall who was holding what looked like a pole in his hands as he hit Mr Rae with it.

Miss Heaseman said she was at Mr Rae's flat watching the film Castaway with him and one of her female friends.

She said there was banging on the door of the flat above a shop in High Street, Hailsham.

Mr Rae told her and her friend to lock themselves in the bathroom while he went to see who it was.

She added: "I looked out of the bathroom window and saw a group of boys outside. I could not see all their faces because some of them were wearing hoods. I could only just see Gary as he came out of the flat and then saw what looked like a metal pole appear from behind a wall. I immediately had a feeling that it was Will. I left the bathroom and shouted to Gary not to go out there but he didn't come back in."

Miss Heaseman said she went back to the bathroom window and saw Devall about to hit Mr Rae. She said: "Will hit Gary on the head and he went all wobbly. Will hit him again on the back and he fell to the floor.

"Will hit him repeatedly on the head and the back and then I couldn't see Gary because there were people around him.

"Everyone moved in on him and there were arms and legs going everywhere.

"Gary was still conscious and I could hear him. He tried to crawl towards the door to get away. It seemed to go on forever and then someone walked past and they all went away.

"I ran down to try to help Gary but he was in a very bad state. There was a lot of blood around his head and all over his face."

Mr Rae suffered horrific injuries including fractures to his face, chest, shoulder and thigh in the attack on May 29, last year. He was rushed to Eastbourne District General Hospital where he died shortly afterwards.

Devall is alleged to have got a gang together to attack Mr Rae because he was jealous about Miss Heaseman visiting him.

Devall, 19, of Meadow Road, Hailsham, and a 17-year-old juvenile deny murder but admit manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Shane Challice, 19, of South Road, Hailsham; Jason Jackson, 18, of Albert Road, Polegate, and two juveniles aged 16 and 17 deny murder. The trial continues.