Two men who attacked a man with a machete in Ellesmere Port have been jailed.

Tommy Mattison, 20, and Mark Davison, 21, both pleaded guilty to section 18 assault and possession of a bladed article.

Mattison, of Oliver Lane, Great Sutton, and Davison, of Acre Road, Great Sutton, appeared at Chester Crown Court where they were both jailed for nine years.

The pair were also handed indefinite restraining orders which prevent them from having any contact with the victim.

The charges related to an incident that took place shortly before 1pm on Wednesday, November 1 when the victim, a 31-year-old local man, was cycling on Princes Road, Ellesmere Port.

Mattison and Davison were also cycling in the area and, after a verbal altercation with the victim, he was slashed with a machete, causing extensive injuries.

Both offenders then fled the scene but were arrested and charged after a detailed investigation by detectives from Ellesmere Port CID.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Carvell said: “This was a vicious targeted assault which left the victim with serious injuries.

“Mattison and Davison are both dangerous individuals and we hope that the people of Ellesmere Port feel reassured now that they are behind bars. Violent crime will not be tolerated and the sentence handed down by the courts reflects that.

“We hope that this case will act as a deterrent to other potential offenders and will send out a strong message that such behaviour is not acceptable. We hope that this case also reinforces the commitment of local officers in tackling this type of crime.”