Two young men have admitted stabbing a teenager while armed with a machete and a soldier knife.

Kenny Harmsworth, 22, and Lewis Whittington, 19, were initially charged with attempted murder following the Canterbury incident after their 17-year-old victim was airlifted to hospital.

But at a hearing at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday, the pair pleaded guilty to the alternative, less serious offence of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

This was accepted by the prosecution and the charge of attempted murder will be left on file.

Harmsworth, of Walden Court, Canterbury, also admitted having a bladed article, namely a soldier knife.

Whittington, of no fixed address, admitted the same charge – but in respect of the weapon being a machete – as well as possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

Their victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found injured by police shortly before 7pm on August 16 last year.

Paramedics attended the incident in Shaftesbury Road before the teenage boy was taken to hospital by air ambulance.

Sentencing of Harmsworth and Whittington was adjourned until May 3 for reports but Judge Simon James warned them custody was inevitable.

"You have both pleaded guilty to what is a very serious matter," he told the pair.

"Using knives to cause injury of this magnitude is an obviously serious offence for which only an immediate sentence of custody can be considered."

Also in the dock on Friday was Bailey Turpin, 18, of Alfred Close, Canterbury, who had faced the same charges of attempted murder and causing GBH with intent.

However, she was formally found not guilty after the prosecution offered no evidence to both offences.