FOUR teenagers have appeared in court charged in connection with two incidents in Darwen which left one man with a broken vertebrae in his neck and another unconscious on the floor.

The victims had both gone to the assistance of other people allegedly being attacked by the youths.

The defendants are all charged with two offences of violent disorder, one outside the Millstone pub late on Saturday December 1, and the other near the Anchor pub in the early hours of the following day.

The youths, two aged 17, one 16 and one 15, are charged with wounding Alan Smith with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm and wounding Mark Turnbull with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm. They are also charged with indecently assaulting a 16-year-old girl. One of the youths is charged with a further offence of wounding Robert Brown on November 24.

Mr Brown was attacked after remonstrating with a group of about 12 youths who were involved in an incident with a taxi driver. Mark Turnbull was attacked outside the Anchor pub after going to the assistance of a young girl who was screaming for help.

She was being held by one of the youths, who was dragging her towards an alley, while the others fondled her, the court was told.

All four youths are alleged to have attacked Mr Turnbull who was kicked unconscious.

Three of the youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were remanded on bail until January 8.

The 16-year-old was remanded to police cells until today.