THE man accused of attacking a rival with a machete has said the victim was injured by his own friend.

Craig Naggington told jurors there was "bad blood" between himself and Azar Iqbal. But the defendant denied attacking Mr Iqbal with a machete-style knife as a result of the feud.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday heard the ill-feeling stemmed from Naggington being a friend of Damien Miller, who was who was stabbed and shot at outside a Cobridge pub in January last year.

Mr Iqbal's brother was one of those subsequently jailed over the attack.

The court was told that Naggington had taken a bus from his home to attend a 1pm appointment at the Hanley Job Centre on Saturday, June 13.

He had previously arranged for friend Otis Fox to pick him up so that they could then go to the gym together.

Naggington, of Dartmouth Street, Burslem, believed a blue Vauxhall Vectra was following him as he walked through the city, a claim denied yesterday by witness Sohab Vakar, who was a passenger in the car.

The 27-year-old defendant said he ran to the Job Centre, in Upper Huntbach Street, only to find that its doors were locked.

He said: "I was going to run to the estate, but that would have been a bad move so I walked back down towards Hanley.

"I stayed where there were people and cars about and I noticed them come out of Garth Street. I knew there was going to be trouble, because there is always trouble between us."

Naggington said he tried to hand some cannabis, his rent money and his phone to a passer-by in preparation for a fight, but she ignored him.

Mr Iqbal then left the Vectra and crossed the road to speak to the defendant, assuring him he was not being chased and offering a hand to shake.

Naggington said: "He was putting the left hand out because he wanted to grab me."

A row broke out and Naggington said he was threatened as both sides became aggressive and Kalvin Salway, another passenger in Mr Iqbal's car, also came over.

The defendant denies using his phone to call in Fox, who at that point arrived at the scene in a silver Vauxhall Astra and parked behind the blue Vectra.

Naggington said: "I handed Otis my stuff because I thought it was obvious there was going to be a fight and I was revved up for it."

For that reason, the defendant said he then went over to the car and tried to strike the victim through the open driver's window. But Naggington said he was never in possession of the knife and had not asked Fox to bring it to the scene.

He added: "It happened so quick. The passenger lunged over with a knife about a foot long and hit his own friend.

"I turned and ran towards Otis, who was now behind me, and said 'Come on' and we jumped into his car."

Mr Iqbal managed to drive to nearby Ludlow Street, where he and a passenger flagged down a passing police car.

Naggington and Fox drove off in the opposite direction towards Potteries Way.

Fox, aged 20, of Whitehaven Drive, Birches Head, who has no previous convictions or cautions, said: "I was asking what happened. Craig said that the other guy in the passenger seat had a blade."

Both defendants deny unlawfully and maliciously wounding Mr Iqbal, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm.

The trial continues today.