Two friends have walked free from court – with a judge's warning ringing in their ears.

Pals Jonathan O’Brien, 30, and Glenn Brough, 26, had been acquitted of assaulting two brothers in a punch-up outside the Whitstable Brewery Bar.

But after a jury at Canterbury Crown Court returned not guilty verdicts, Judge Heather Norton told them not to continue any feud.

It had been alleged that Mr O’Brien, of Pafford Close, Sturry, had repeatedly punched Andrew Rumball - leading him to need an operation to insert metal plates in his broken jaw.

Mr Brough, of Nelson Road, Whitstable, was alleged to have punched Michael Rumball during the late-night bust up.

But both men said they had been the victims of unprovoked attacks, which included drinks being poured over Mr O’Brien before he was punched, and had defended themselves.

The judge said that all four lived in a small area and knew each other – and alerted them that if there were any future incident “as a result of the trial , I will be told.”

She added: "I fire that warning shot above your heads."