A MAN had his right arm slashed with a machete in a city centre attack on a Saturday afternoon, a court heard.

Azar Iqbal spent four days in hospital after being injured near the Hope Centre, in Upper Huntbach Street, Hanley, on June 13 this year.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday heard prosecution claims that Craig Naggington sliced Mr Iqbal's right arm after swinging the machete through a car window.

The prosecution allege Naggington was given the machete by co-accused Otis Fox.

Paul Spratt, prosecuting, said: "Naggington caused this injury and Fox arrived at the scene and supplied the weapon.

"Both men are equally responsible for the attack."

Naggington, aged 27, of Dartmouth Street, Burslem, and Fox, aged 20, of Whitehaven Drive, Birches Head, deny unlawfully and maliciously wounding Mr Iqbal, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm.

The court heard Mr Iqbal, who knew the defendants, left Upper Huntbach Street before flagging down a patrol car in Ludlow Street.

He told police the incident was linked to a previous attack on another man, Damien Miller, who was stabbed and shot at outside a Cobridge pub in January, 2008.

Mr Iqbal told the jury he had earlier dropped his girlfriend off in Burslem before picking up three friends in his Vauxhall Vectra hire car and going to Hanley.

He said: "Naggy [Naggington] was calling me. He was shouting something. I presumed he wanted to speak to me because why else would he be shouting me?

"I pulled up my car, got out and walked across to him. He said, "You're rolling up on me". That might be a term they use on the streets, I presume.

"I said, 'We're not rolling up'."

Mr Iqbal told the court he managed to calm Naggington down as much as possible when Fox arrived in a Silver Astra.

He claimed Naggington ran over to the car and picked up a long-bladed orange machete.

He said: "It was like those you see in a meat shop.

"As he swung it in, I put my arm up and he hit it."

The defence claims the machete had been brought by one of Mr Iqbal's friends, and that Naggington did not have it.

They also claim Mr Iqbal had arranged to meet Naggington due to a dispute between his brother and Mr Miller.

Peter McCartney, defending, said: "You told the police it was something to do with a previous incident to do with your brother and Damien Miller, an incident where Miller was very badly assaulted and your brother and others were sent to prison.

"Were you were looking for Craig because he was a good mate of Damien Miller?"

"No, I wasn't," he replied.

The trial continues.