THREE men have admitted affray after they stormed a house in Blackburn armed with a knife, a dog chain and a pickaxe.

Sheraz Malik, 33, Waqas Ghazanfar, 29, and Hamza Ishtiaq, 19, said they went to the house in Whalley New Road after hearing a family member had been dragged inside over an alleged drug debt.

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Preston Crown Court heard one man, who went to the house looking for his father, heard one of the defendants shout his name in an alley behind the terraced house.

He ran inside, but was followed by Ishtiaq, who was brandishing a dog chain, the court heard.

The prosecution said as Ishtiaq swung the chain, the man fell to the ground.

Malik joined in, dragging the man by his legs.

A melee broke out and the court was told Ghazanfar arrived with a large, hunting knife.

During the brawl, the prosecutor said windows were smashed and one man fell backwards into a window, which broke and injured his scalp.

Another man suffered a cut to his finger and face, as a result of the knife Ghazanfar was wielding.

All three men, of Whalley New Road, Blackburn pleaded guilty to affray and Ghazanfar also admitted wounding.

The court heard the men were all of good character, but had made ‘some bad decisions’ on the day of the incident.

When police arrived at the scene, further chaos broke out as members of the victim’s family came to the door looking for a fight with the defendants, the court heard.

Judge Stuart Baker, sentencing, said: “This is rightly described as an ugly incident.”

“This is an offence which in my view has to be taken in the context of their conduct taken together.

“If you take part in a joint affray then whether you are simply holding a chain, or swinging a pick axe or wielding a knife, you are all contributing to the same disorder and fear of the victims or anyone else who may happen to be nearby.”

Judge Baker said he took into account that the men appeared to have acted out of character but said he made no findings as to the cause of the violence.

He handed Malik and Ishtiaq 15 month sentences, suspended for two years, with 150 hours unpaid work and a three month curfew.

Ghazunfar, who also admitted wounding, was jailed for 21 months.