A neighbour today told a court he saw a teenager being chased along a road in Grove by a gang of youths and being hit with a metal pole.

Shane Hare, of Mereland Road; Benjamin Sinclair, of Kibble Close; and Damon Bishop, of Churchill Close; all 18 and from Didcot, deny causing grievous bodily harm with intent and violent disorder. Three 17-year-olds, who cannot be named because of their ages, also deny the two charges.

Paul Rose told Oxford Crown Court he saw a group of youths in Tubbs Close, Grove, on the night of the alleged attack in March.

He said: "A group of 10 lads at least, armed to the teeth with baseball bats, wooden bars and metal poles, went running down at us. As I saw them running at me, I saw at least five of them carrying weapons."

Mr Rose added: "One of them hit him over the head with a metal bar. He got hit on the head and fell to the floor."

The jury has been told the defendants drove from Didcot to Grove after exchanging insults with a youth on the Internet.

The case continues.