A man was left "covered in blood" after being beaten into a pub doorway and repeatedly knifed in the face in front of his girlfriend during a night out in Whitstable, jurors heard.

Jack Bardrick suffered "deep, long cuts to his face, neck and ear" outside the Duke of Cumberland in the High Street.

A woman and three men accused of wounding Mr Bardrick with intent have gone on trial this week at Canterbury Crown Court.

Mr Bardrick told jurors today he was suddenly "punched and kicked several times" after "a man ran towards me" shortly after midnight on May 14.

"I was on my back trying to use my legs to kick the people away," he said.

He said the ordeal lasted about 20 seconds and then his attackers "just ran".

"I heard one shout 'quick, let’s go, the cops are going to be here'," he told the court.

Asked how he felt following the attack, Mr Bardrick continued: "I was feeling very scared, I was covered in blood."

Mr Bardrick “was left with a number of deep, long cuts to his face, neck and ear, and was taken to hospital for treatment,” prosecutor Tim Sleigh-Johnson said.

Shannon Cook and Lewis Jones, both 26, of Brook Road, Swalecliffe near Whitstable, Alfie Scott, 33, of Stodmarsh Road, Fordwich, near Canterbury, and Bradley Jones, 25, of Folkestone Road, Dover, deny wounding with intent.

Mr Bardrick had been playing pool at the New Inn, in Woodlawn Street, with partner Georgina McKinnon and friends Ben Smith and Liam Sargeant, the court heard.

After leaving at 11.30pm, the group headed towards the Pearsons Arms in Horsebridge Road when a row erupted with Cook.

Mr Bardrick said Cook became “hostile towards us” and began “shouting and swearing," with his group engaging in the altercation.

Cook pursued the four friends towards Terry’s Lane, where she appeared to punch Mr Smith, Mr Bardrick said.

Mr Smith then pushed Cook backwards “in self-defence” when she stumbled over, got up, and said: “You wait, you are done now,” Mr Bardrick added.

He told jurors Cook made a phone call, saying: “Come to Whitstable High Street, a man has just hit me to the ground.”

Mr Smith and Mr Sargeant went to leave in a taxi parked outside Lloyds Bank when Cook offered the driver £100 to refuse the journey and kicked the door, the court heard.

When the pair eventually left, one witness - who was known to Cook - tried calming her down as Mr Bardrick and Miss McKinnon walked towards Horsebridge Road.

Moments later, Bradley Jones’ black Land Rover Freelander arrived in High Street, CCTV footage played in court showed.

Lewis Jones could be seen exiting the vehicle, running towards Mr Bardrick, then repeatedly attempting to rain blows.

He then appeared to knock Mr Bardrick into the pub doorway before Alfie Scott and Bradley Jones entered the alcove shortly afterwards, footage showed.

During the attack, Cook appeared to restrain Miss McKinnon by her hair just metres away.

CCTV then showed the four suspects fleeing the crime scene in the Freelander as Mr Bardrick got up.

Cook has already pleaded guilty to commonly assaulting Miss McKinnon but denies assaulting Ben Smith by beating, Mr Sleigh-Johnson said.

The prosecutor added Alfie Scott or Lewis Jones caused the wounds, whereas Shannon Cook commissioned the attack and Bradley Jones drove to the scene and “provided strength in numbers”.

The defendants deny any knowledge of a knife being present or participating in wounding Mr Bardrick with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

The trial, expected to last five days, continues.