Two men and a juvenile were remanded in custody today when they all appeared in court charged with the attempted murder of a Chester-le-Street man.

Kyle Rocky Brennan, 20, of The Crescent, Chester-le-Street and Nicky Gambell, 19, of Cleveland Avenue in Chester-le-Street made no application for bail when they came before Peterlee Magistrates charged with the attempted murder of a man also of Chester-le-Street.

A 16-year-old youth's application for bail on the same charge was rejected by the Magistrates.

The court heard that the charge had arisen out of the stabbing of the Chester-le-Street resident outside his home in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The victim, who is believed to be in his forties was first taken to The University Hospital of North Durham before being transferred to the Intensive Care Unit at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

The court was also told that the injured man's condition had first been described as "life threatening'' but that he had now improved. The three defendants were remanded in custody until next Monday when they will appear again at Peterlee Magistrates.