TWO men involved in a sustained, late-night attack on a pub bouncer have been warned they could face jail.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Adam Rana was ‘smacked in the face’ with a bottle and repeatedly hit in the violence at The Prince of Wales in Nelson after door staff refused entry to a female believed to be underage.

Trouble had started outside the Leeds Road premises, where Mr Rana was assaulted.

It then carried on inside, where Duane Haythornthwaite and ex-heroin addict Peter McCormack set about him. The prosecution could not say either was part of what went on outside.

Haythornthwaite, 40, of Brunswick Street and McCormack, 36, care of Derby Street, both Nelson, had earlier admitted assault causing actual bodily harm. Sentence was adjourned until April 2 and McCormack was remanded in custody. His co-defendant was bailed and Recorder Abigail Hudson warned custody was possible.

The court was told police received reports of a doorman being assaulted.

Mr Rana tried to close the pub door and once inside, Haythornthwaite hit him with a bottle from behind. The door then burst open and the defendants, with others, launched blows on him.

The victim recognised one of his attackers as McCormack, a regular visitor to the premises. Mr Rana was kicked and punched on the floor.

McCormack told a police officer: “Bouncers think they are big, stopping us getting in.”

Mr Rana suffered bruises around both eyes and tenderness to both cheekbones. McCormack had 44 offences on his record and Haythornthwaite had 32 previous offences.

Recorder Hudson said: “For the past six months he's [McCormack] been on a bit of a rampage, assaulting people and committing public order offences.”