TWO men were found not guilty yesterday of a shooting in a rugby club car park.

During a seven-day trial at Teesside Crown Court, the jury heard that Anthony Walls, 23, survived being shot in the car park of Guisborough Rugby Club, east Cleveland. The bullet is still in his body six months later.

He claimed he was attacked by two men he had challenged to one-on-one fights after they and others jumped on him three days earlier in a Guisborough pub.

He alleged that Anthony Dewing, 20, threw a paving slab through the driver's window of his Ford Mondeo car and that Dean Rye, 33, shot him in the groin with a handgun as he flung himself across the seats.

But they told the jury that at the time of the shooting they were delivering a pushchair to a friend's home in Lingdale, east Cleveland, and the child's parents gave evidence in support.

Rye, of Boosbeck Road, Skelton, and Dewing, of Larch Road, Guisborough, were found not guilty of attempted murder on February 4 and of an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. They had been in custody for six months.

Rye was found guilty of unlawfully wounding Mr Walls on January 31 in an incident in the Buck Inn, Guisborough.

He was ordered to serve 200 hours' community punishment.

His brother, Craig Rye, 35, of Eskdale Terrace, Guisborough, and Mr Dewing, were both found not guilty of the offence.