TWO friends from Brierfield were knifed and seriously injured when they were attacked outside a Burnley nightclub, a jury was told.

Mohammed Khan and Zahir Aslam were both said to have been set upon by the same man, Imran Sardar, outside Churchills, in the early hours.

Sardar first told police that the weapon, a collector's edition knife made by the Harley Davidson motorcycle firm, was his, he had not used it nor seen it used, the court was told.

He later told police he had probably caused the men's wounds, but had been acting in self-defence, the court was told.

But the jury heard that an emergency services phone operator overheard him in 'triumphant tone' boasting about what he had done.

The defendant, from Keighley, but arrested at a house in Queensberry Road, Burnley, denies two allegations of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, on June 23, 2001.

Kevin Donnelly, prosecuting, told Burnley Crown Court Mr Khan suffered a two and a half centimetre wound to his neck, which went so deep it caused damage to nerves and loss of sensation.

He said Mr Aslam received a wound to his hand and a nerve was severed in his ring finger.

Both men needed hospital treatment.

The court was told that the two alleged victims had been in Churchills with two women friends when they sensed hostility from the defendant's group and an atmosphere of antagonism developed.

The court heard that trouble erupted outside the club after Sardar made an unpleasant comment to Mr Aslam and a car pulled up with two men who had been with the defendant at the club inside.

Mr Donnelly told the court: "The Crown says the tape of the conversation goes a long way to rebutting the defendant's suggestion he was acting in self-defence.

"His tone was triumphant and he was boasting about what he had done."

(proceeding)