FOUR teenagers have appeared in court charged in connection with an incident in which a 23 year old student was allegedly cut with a craft knife, receiving a seven inch throat wound which needed 50 stitches.

Andrew Hearn, 18, of Carlinghurst Road, Blackburn, Simon Coupe, 18, of Lawrence Street, Blackburn, a 17-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl are all charged with wounding Lee Davies with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm and violent disorder.

Hearn, a carpet fitter, is also charged with wounding Ryan Bates, 19, a student at Blackburn College, with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

All four were sent to Preston Crown Court where they will next appear on January 21.

They were all granted bail subject to conditions of non-association with each other and curfew.

Mr Davies, a student at Leeds Metropolitan University, had come home to Blackburn for Christmas and had only been back for four hours when the incident occurred in the Montague Street area.

He and Mr Bates had been for a drink at the Cellar Bar in King Street and were walking home when they were approached by a girl who asked for a cigarette.