Three men have pleaded not guilty to affray after a mass brawl at an Indian restaurant in Rochester.

David Pettett, 55, and Tom Pettett, 25, both of Silverweed Road, and Andrew Bullen, 54, of Gorse Avenue, appeared before Medway magistrates this morning to face charges of affray.

They were arrested along with another man after the incident at the Shozna restaurant in Maidstone Road in July last year, and will next appear at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday May 9.

At the time of the incident, restaurant owner Jamal Ahmed, 42, who was injured, said he had asked a table of 22 men to leave because they were creating a disturbance.

Witnesses said the fracas lasted between five and 10 minutes before police arrived.

The restaurant was closed afterwards and Mr Ahmad estimated he had lost between £2,000 and £3,000 in takings.

Four other men who were said to be in the group, aged 20, 27, 29 and 31 were issued with dispersal warnings at the time.

Another man who was arrested at the time, a 34-year-old from Chatham, was released without charge.