A 58-YEAR-OLD Blackburn man was left bleeding heavily and distressed following a "road rage" type incident, a court was told.

Stanley Lowe was hit in the face, his car was dented and his mobile phone stolen after being accused of applying his brakes for no apparent reason.

But Preston Crown Court heard that he managed to remember the registration number of the motorbike on which two men involved had been travelling.

Stuart Hartley, 18, of St Thomas Street, Blackburn, and Robert Henderson, also known as Collins, 22, of Leicester Road, Blackburn, appeared for sentence, both having admitted affray.

Hartley had also admitted damage and theft of a mobile phone while Henderson also pleaded guilty to not having a driving licence or insurance.

Hartley was given a combined sentence of two years community rehabilitation and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community.

Henderson was ordered to do 100 hours community work.

Both men were ordered to pay their victim £200 compensation.

The case arose from an incident in September last year in the Greenbank Road area of Blackburn.

The defendants both denied striking the man with a crash helmet.

Mr Howard Bradshaw, prosecuting, said Hartley appeared at the front passenger door and opened it.

He said the defendant said something like "why did you brake?" Henderson then appeared and said something like "who do you think you're talking to?"

The prosecution claimed one of the pair swung a crash helmet inside the car, striking him to the face.

Hartley then took the man's mobile phone, he said.

Mr Richard Bennett, defending Hartley, said: "As a result of alcohol he had taken his behaviour was unacceptable."

Mr Ian Whitehurst, defending Henderson, said it had been the first time in six years the defendant had become involved with the police.