A "STRONG ARM" bouncer, who carried out a knife attack on a rival doorman at a Bolton club, failed to win a cut in his sentence at London's Court of Appeal.

Mark Putterill, of Glen View Road, Burnley, was found guilty at Bolton Crown Court in November 2001 of the unlawful wounding of Wayne Blance and was given a three and a half year jail term.

And top judges refused to reduce 27-year-old Putterill's sentence, ruling it was not "manifestly excessive."

"The incident was a very serious one, it was a group attack and involved the use of a knife," said Mr Justice David, who heard the case with Judge John Griffith-Williams QC.

"In all the circumstances a relatively severe sentence was justified and it is not arguable this sentence was manifestly excessive." The judge added that, at the time of the offence, Putterill was on bail for another attack, an assault for which he later received an 18 month jail term.

He told the court how Putterill, who was a doorman at another club, went to the Atlantis nightclub in the Astley Bridge area of Bolton on January 26 2001.

When trouble flared on the door, Mr Blance tried to intervene, but he was set upon by the group Putterill was with.

During the disturbance he was stabbed three times, most seriously in the inner thigh, a wound which bled profusely and eventually rendered him unconscious.

Mr Justice Davis said Putterill denied playing any role in the attack.

But earlier in the evening had been spotted taking a steak knife from an Old Orleans restaurant he was eating at.

He also changed clothes after the incident, and admitted to drinking heavily throughout the evening and being present when Mr Blance was attacked.

In passing sentence the trial judge observed that there was strong evidence to suggest Putterill's "strong arm tactics" were the result of an on-going feud between rival nightclub owners.