Two neighbours were involved in a confrontation outside a block of flats.

Angelo Asigno and Joseph Nti shouted, swore and waved knives at each other, a court was told.

The two men clashed in a “handbags at dawn” confrontation after their girlfriends fell out.

Both men were on the same bus on the way home to Downland Court in Stonery Road, Portslade, on November 28.

They looked at each other, got off the bus and went to their flats. Asigno, 30, armed himself with a small knife and went looking for Nti, 29.

Prosecutor Guy Russell said: “He was shouting at him to come out and fight and punched Nti when he did come out.

“Nti yelled up to his partner to throw down a knife. It was considerably bigger than the one Asigno had.

“Asigno ran back to his premises and got an even bigger knife. They were waving the knives at each other in what was described as ‘handbags at dawn’.”

Both admitted possessing an offensive weapon and appeared at Brighton Crown Court for sentence yesterday. They were given ten-month prison sentences suspended for 18 months.

Judge David Rennie said: “I have no doubt there was the whiff of testosterone wafting around you.”