A GANG of hooligans who attacked a man with machetes and fireworks as he stood on the doorstep of his home have been jailed for a combined total of 10 years.

Reece Murgatroyd, Joel Ludlam, Tom Morley and George Barnes worked together to carry-out a "focused and violent" attack on their victim Bradley Grant last September.

Preston Crown Court heard how the men arrived at an address in Padiham driven by Barnes, of Green Street, Padiham, and Ludlam before launching their assault on groundworker Mr Grant.

Armed with machetes, Murgatroyd and Morley ran towards their victim while Ludlam, of Garbett Street, Accrington, threw fireworks towards Mr Grant and the doorway of his home, where his family were sleeping inside.

Prosecuting the case, Denise Fitzpatrick said: “Using the machete he carried, Murgatroyd struck the window of Bradley Grant’s partner’s car. He smashed the rear window.

“Morley ran towards Bradley Grant’s BMW and using the machete he was holding he smashed the rear window of the car.

“Morley shouted to Joel Ludlam to ‘chuck the flash bangs into the house’ he also shouted words such as ‘chop him up’ and ‘he’s getting it.’

“Murgatroyd ran towards the victim with the machete. He held it above his head and swung it.

"As he did so Bradley Grant put up his hand to try and protect himself from being struck to the head.

“As he did so he grabbed hold of it and it sliced his index finger.”

At this stage Murgatroyd dropped the machete, which was then picked up by Grant.

As the two defendants ran back towards their cars, Murgatroyd shouted back that he was going to set Mr Grant’s home on fire.

The BMW which was attacked during the incident was written-off as a result of the damage sustained.

In a victim personal statement, Mr Grant stated he was "constantly waiting for the next thing he would do to him or his family".

Ms Fitzpatrick added: “His children had been in bed at the time and he described how after the offence, they basically lived upstairs.”

During mitigation for all four men it was heard how they all had separate responsibilities and families they cared for.

All four of them had previous convictions and have spent time in jail.

Jailing them for 30 months a piece, Judge Simon Medland QC said: “I don’t know what led you to do this, but you and I both know it won’t do.

“I fully accept that the four of you have got another side. You have family members, partners – some of you have been in work.

"I am sure that you are quite capable of leading a life on a straight and narrow.

“You’ve come to the point, haven’t you - being adult males and responsible for your place in the world, where it’s up to you.

“If you want to spend 23 hours a day looking at a prison cell wall and having two showers a week, well then, be my guest.

“I regret it, it’s a terrible waste of your life and it’s a terrible waste of the lives of your partners, loved ones and families - but it will not do.”

Murgatroyd, of no fixed address, was given a further eight months in prison for an unrelated dangerous driving offence while Morley, of Reed Street, Burnley, was given a further two for breaching a suspended sentence order and producing cannabis.