NINE men have admitted their part in violence which broke out between a group of off-duty soldiers and local men in a town centre.

A total of 11 men were accused of taking part in the disturbance, which was captured on security cameras in Post House Wynd, Darlington, on June 14, last year.

Nine of them appeared at Durham Crown Court yesterday when they were to stand trial on a charge of violent disorder.

But after Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the Crown would accept pleas to the lesser charge of affray, all nine defendants pleaded guilty.

Sentence was adjourned until April 30 pending the preparation of reports on the men by the probation service.

The soldiers are all Fijians serving with the Royal Anglian Regiment, based at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire. They are Muly Narova, 19, Redubentiovomo Tokai, 20, Samisoni Tabua, 24, and 21-year-old Paul Bukavesi.

Two other soldiers, Jokatamua Vukiduadua, 33, and 23-year-old Kiniconi Rairaikula, also alleged to have been involved in the disturbance, were unable to attend.

The court was told they had been seconded to the Royal Gloucester Regiment and deployed to serve with the United Nations peace-keeping force following the outbreak of ethnic violence in Kosovo.

Five men from Darlington who admitted their involvement were Stephen Kavanagh, 23, of Haughton Road, Ian Ditchburn, 27, of Surtees Street, David Moscrop, 20, of Birch Road, Mark Jenkinson, 22, of Whitehart Crescent, and 24-year-old Peter Brown, of Riverside Drive.