A LONG-RUNNING dispute between neighbours ended in murder, a court heard yesterday.

Roy Campbell, 61, of Oakerside Park, Peterlee, County Durham, appeared before Teesside Crown Court accused of killing his neighbour, Ronald Hanley.

The court heard how Mr Campbell, a military memorabilia collector, and Mr Hanley, 56, had both been living at the Elm Tree Caravan Site, Seaton Carew, Hartlepool.

It was there, the court heard, that Mr Campbell attacked the victim 26 times with a Gurkha kukri knife, a machete-like weapon, which had been given to him by another resident on the site.

His collection included bayonets and military knives and were displayed in the second bedroom of the static caravan he shared with his wife, the court was told.

Franz Muller, prosecuting, said that there had been years of bad blood between the men, and matters came to a head in April last year. On that night, Mr Hanley drank five bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale at the caravan park's club, Oasis, the court was told.

After returning from the club in the early hours of April 17, he was said to have overturned a wheelbarrow full of flowers and damaged a trellis in his neighbour's garden.

Mr Campbell rang the police about the damage and then went to confront Mr Hanley.

Mr Muller said: "Mr Campbell carried out a sustained attack upon him with that knife, striking him no less than 26 separate blows, from which he ultimately died later the same day."

The court was told that Mr Hanley had spent many years in the Army before becoming a lorry driver. He lived alone, and after retiring from driving, had suffered a stroke that left his speech impaired.

In the weeks leading up to his death, Mr Hanley, described in court as a very private and quiet man, had been undergoing tests for cancer of the mouth.

The court heard how the two men had not got along for several years, with verbal and physical incidents taking place between them.

Mr Muller said that there was "a great deal of animosity between the two" and this was "very much six of one and half a dozen of the other".

Mr Campbell denies murder. The trial continues today.