A TEENAGER whose body was pulled from the River Wear was drunk and abusive on the night he died, a court heard yesterday.

Witnesses told how John Chipp, 18, swore and caused trouble in a takeaway shop before his death.

Mr Chipp, of Castletown, Sunderland, was last seen running home after a heavy night drinking with friends in the city on March 18, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

He is alleged to have become involved in a fight on the Queen Alexandra Bridge with Christopher Weldon, 28, of Pennywell, Sunderland.

Mr Weldon, who had drunk eight pints of lager while out with friends and family, had had an argument with his wife, stormed off and threatened to throw himself off the bridge, the jury heard.

Weldon denies murder and claims Mr Chipp fell from the bridge accidentally while Weldon tried to defend himself from his blows.

Stephanie Carter, a colleague of Mr Chipp's at a McDonald's restaurant where he worked part-time, had tried to stop him from getting into trouble in a takeaway shop earlier in the night, where he had accused the workers of stealing his money.

At 11am yesterday traffic was diverted away from the bridge over the River Wear for about an hour while the jury visited the site. The trial continues.