A GOOD Samaritan was left with “gruesome” injuries after an attacker turned on him with a broken bottle, a court heard.

Alan Williams, 42, had been going for a quiet drink when he intervened to help a man being assaulted.

He was left with deep cuts to his face and neck and had to have surgery after being set upon by Clive Hunton.

Mr Williams, a self employed "family man," has now got permanent palsy to his bottom lip because of nerve damage, has difficulty eating and is scarred.

Hunton, 49, of Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, admitted wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, last December 15, at Burnley Crown Court.

He is due to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court after Recorder Anthony Cross, QC, described the photos of Mr Williams's injuries as “gruesome”.

The judge told Hunton: “This is a very serious crime. If I was to pass a sentence that was too lenient members of the public might complain.”

Mercedeh Jabbari, prosecuting, told the court Mr Williams was walking to the Farholme Tavern in Stacksteads when he looked up Huttock End Lane and saw a man lying in the the road and went to see if he was alright.

The next thing the victim recalled was opening his eyes to see blood gushing from his face. He was taken to hospital and kept going in and out of consciousness in the ambulance.

Miss Jabbari said a woman in her nearby home heard the sound of smashing glass shortly after 9pm and saw two groups of men in the street. The Crown believe Hunton was the main aggressor.

A woman passing by shouted to Mr Williams to come and help.

The prosecutor said the victim went to intervene, and the defendant then struck him with the broken bottle.

Police were called and Hunton was arrested.

Keith Harrison, for Hunton, said Mr Williams had been to see defendant at work and told him he did not bear him any grudge.