DAMIEN Miller survived being stabbed and shot at after he returned from hiding in Spain for his mother's funeral.

Miller was attacked by a gang of five outside the Wedgwood pub in Waterloo Road, Cobridge, on January 18 last year.

He was with friends and family celebrating his mother's life when he visited the pub. His attackers lured Miller outside before stabbing him and shooting at him.

As a result, Miller was unable to attend the funeral of mum Kim Cliffe because he was still recovering from stomach, chest and arm injuries.

Tasab Hussain, Asrar Sami, Omar Arbab and brothers Nasir and Naim Aziz were convicted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and carrying a firearm with criminal intent following a trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court in April this year.

Hussain, aged 28, of Waterloo Road, Cobridge; Sami, aged 22, formerly of Waterloo Road, Cobridge, and the Aziz brothers, 25-year-old Nasir and Naim, aged 28, both of Wulstan Road; were handed an indeterminate sentence for the protection of the public.

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said if he had imposed a fixed sentence it would have been nine years.

They cannot apply for parole for four-and-a-half years and will be released only when the parole board is satisfied they are not a threat.

Arbab, aged 20, of Rushton Close, Cobridge, was sentenced to eight years in a young offenders' institution, and will spend a further two years on licence.

The incident was brought up in Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court as Miller was sentenced to seven years in prison for conspiracy to supply cocaine, yesterday.

Miller had been hiding on police advice after a threat on his life.

Prosecutor Robert Price told the court: "Maybe it was a turf war, there's no clear evidence."