A hitman paid by a family to assasinate a rival ended up shooting one of the men who hired him in the groin, a court heard.

In a bizarre series of events, Thomas Anderson was accidentally blasted in the penis by drive-by gunman Arthur Pattinson.

It is alleged that, the bullet passed through intended target Stanley Creswell's arm and then through a garden gate.

The bullet then ricocheted into Mr Anderson's groin. Luckily for him the bullet did not have sufficient force to do serious damage.

Pattinson 42, had been hired by Anderson and his brothers to kill Mr Creswell, 36, following a long running feud with William "Ike" Anderson, 29, over £60,000.

Prosecutor Chris Knox told Newcastle Crown Court how "Ike" fled to the Dominican Republic a few days before the shooting after threatening Mr Creswell with an imitation pistol.

His father William "Billy Dad" Anderson, 55, and uncles Stanley "Stan" Anderson ,43, and Thomas "Tommy" Anderson, 47, then continued the feud.

Tommy acted as a "spotter," following Mr Creswell's movements on the day he was to be murdered - August 19 last year.

The court heard how Tommy had informed the hit man by phone that his target had arrived at his home in Clydesdale Street, Hetton le Hole, Tyne and Wear, from a trip to the local baker.

But he had not bargained for Creswell making his way to confront Tommy at his home just around the corner about an earlier altercation.

The gunman arrived as planned, taking aim while Creswell was at Tommy Anderson's garden gate.

Mr Knox told the court: "Stan Creswell was shot by Arthur Pattinson as he stood outside Tommy Anderson's garden gate at Borrowdale Road, Hetton le Hole.

"The shot went straight through Creswell's arm, went through the garden gate of Tommy Anderson's garden and actually finished up hitting Tommy Anderson."

"That shooting was, say the prosecution, the culmination of a plot by members of the Anderson family and Arthur Pattinson to revenge themselves upon Creswell because of a grudge which Ike had against Creswell."

The court heard how Mr Creswell was told a " lad is going to kill you and chop you up" and even received a call from the hit man saying "your time will come" in the days leading up to the shooting.

William "Ike" Anderson, of High Street, Easington Lane, Tyneside, has admitted two charges of possessing an imitation fire arm with intent to cause fear of violence relating to threats made to Mr Creswell and his friends before the shooting.

He denies conspiracy to harass and conspiracy to murder.

Stanley Anderson, of North View, Easington Lane, Thomas Anderson, of Borrowdale Street, Hetton le Hole, and William Anderson, of High Street, Easington Lane, all also deny conspiracy to harrass and conspiracy to murder.

The trial continues.