TWO city men have been jailed for their part in an horrific street attack in which an axe, saw and hammer were brandished.

Exeter Crown Court heard the trouble happened in Rifford Road, Wonford, and involved Raymond Moore, 30, Michael Smith, 25, and a third man who was not before the court.

There had been an argument at the home of the other man when Moore and Smith turned up shouting threats such as: "You are dead," and "We are going to kill you and chop you up."

Prosecutor Emily Pitts said the front door of the property was kicked in, but the defendants did not gain entry and ran off. They were then pursued by the third man, who had a hammer, and the pair were wielding the axe and pruning saw.

The chase went on around parked cars and a woman in one of the cars dialled 999 and was told to stay in her vehicle.

She was later to say the incident was "absolutely horrendous" and it had happened at a time when children were leaving school and could have been caught up in the incident.

Mitigating for Moore, Llewellyn Selleck said his client was on a cocktail of drink and drugs, having consumed cider, vodka and cannabis, and could remember nothing of what had happened.

He said if the third man had not come out of the property armed with the hammer it would never have turned into street violence.

Mr Selleck said up until the attack Moore had been caring for his disabled mother and father who were housebound.

His two brothers had been standing in for him while he had been in custody for the last three months.

He apologised for his behaviour on that day when he had drunk to excess.

Nick Bradley, for Smith, said no one was badly injured in the incident but his client accepted that he was in a spiral of offending through drink and he now wanted to address that problem.

While he had been on remand, he had done well on various courses in the prison, which he hoped would help him when he was released.

Moore, of Regent Street, St Thomas, and Smith, of Sweetbrier Lane, Heavitree, both admitted a charge of affray and were each jailed for 12 months.

Passing sentence, Judge John Neligan told the pair: "You went round to this house armed with an axe and a pruning saw and bashed in the door.

"Unfortunately, the occupant came out and chased you, leading to a horrendous and frightening incident.

"Disturbances like this in public will not be tolerated by this court when people are put in fear.

"That means there must be an immediate custodial sentence for each of you."