Two teenagers, armed with a stick and a pool ball in a sock, attacked a work colleague in the street, Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday.

Jonathon McIlvenney, 18, and Mark Elliott, 19, were convicted of wounding Steven Forrest when all three were trainees at a workshop.

Ian West, prosecuting, said that the fight took place near the workshop in Marton Road, Middlesbrough, in July 1999, and the victim suffered a gashed head and fractured nose.

McIlvenney, of Orwell Street, Middlesbrough, and Elliott, of Wharton Street, North Ormesby, were both ordered to carry out 240 hours community service work.

Judge Anthony Briggs told them that they had narrowly avoided being locked up, due to their previous good characters, and the delay in dealing with their case through no fault of their own.

The teenagers were cleared of a more serious charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, but they both admitted possessing offensive weapons.

Judge Briggs told them: "You were prepared to fight with the stick and the pool ball and could not complain if you were sent in custody."

Elliott, said to have caused the most injury, was ordered to pay £3,000 compensation. He and McIlvenney must also pay £600 costs each.