A JURY will today visit the park where a security firm boss is alleged to have gunned down his former business partner.

High Court judge Mr Justice Ouseley and the jury are to inspect the site at Preston Park near Stockton where Martin Manderville, 39, says he was blasted with a sawn-off shotgun by bodybuilder George Don-eathy, 35.

The pair, who formerly provided security for clubs and stores on Teesside and in Darlington and Hartlepool, agreed to meet at the park to sort out their differences "once and for all", said Mr Manderville.

He told Teesside Crown Court that Mr Doneathy, known as Robbie, was in his parked Mitsubishi Shogun when he drove into the park in his Vauxhall Vectra.

Mr Manderville claimed Mr Doneathy suddenly produced a sawn-off double barrelled shotgun from under his long leather coat and shot him through his car window as he stood behind the door.

Mr Doneathy gave himself up to police the next day, claiming that Mr Manderville arrived with the gun and that he was shot accidentally in a struggle to disarm him, said Christopher Attwooll, prosecuting.

Cross-examined by Robin Denny, defending, Mr Manderville denied that he had threatened to shoot dead a former employee, and that he was unstable because of a cocaine addiction.

He also denied that during the partnership he allowed drug dealers into clubs. He said that he fell out with Mr Doneathy when he discovered a £100,000 tax bill.

Mr Doneathy, of Appleby Close, Eaglescliffe, pleads not guilty to the attempted murder on February 27 last year of Mr Manderville, of Rhinog Grove, Ingleby Barwick. He also denies, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and having a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.

The case continues.