A COURT was told how a man's cheek bone was smashed and needed surgery after he was punched in the face by a friend.

Mark Baxendale had accidentally knocked a pint of lager out of Alan Nuttall's hand in the Viscount nightclub in Ellesmere Port while he was dancing, Knutsford Crown Court heard.

Angered by his friend's behaviour Nuttall lashed out knocking Mr Baxendale to the floor with a single blow to his face, said David Green, prosecuting.

Nuttall, 23, of Tarvin Close, Ellesmere Port pleaded not guilty to unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Baxendale.

On Wednesday of last week, he was found guilty by a jury and released on bail to be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on September 11.

Mr Baxendale, a cobbler, said they had been friends since school days and went out together about once a week.

Just before Christmas he and another friend, Gary Evans, had joined Nuttall at JJs social club in Ellesmere Port where Nuttall's father was acting as a DJ.

During the evening he accidentally spilled beer on the sound equipment. Nuttall was not pleased but he apologised.

They later went on to the nightclub where the incident occurred.

Mr Baxendale told the jury: 'I had knocked the beer on the floor and he wasn't too impressed. I apologised and turned round to carry on dancing and the next thing I remember is waking up in hospital.'

Witnesses said Nuttall grabbed Mr Baxendale by the throat and landed a blow which knocked him to the floor.

'The 'red mist' came over him and he lost his temper and control,' said Mr Green.

He said Mr Baxendale was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital for treatment and released after a few hours.

But the next day his condition deteriorated and he was rushed in as an emergency and underwent an operation to insert three metal plates in his fractured cheek.

Nuttall told the jury he hit out in self defence because he believed Mr Baxendale was going to attack him.

He regretted what had happened because they had been friends for several years.