A TEENAGER attacked his younger brother with a piece of wood, punched him, and kicked him in the head after an argument over a shirt, Darlington Youth Court heard yesterday.

The 17-year-old from Darlington, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had drunk three to four litres of cider before the fight.

His brother, who is 16, was also arrested and charged.

The fight happened in Stanhope Park, near Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, on the evening of Tuesday, September 7.

Ciaran Grogan, prosecuting, told the court the pair had argued over a shirt. They punched and kicked each other, with the older brother eventually kicking his sibling in the head.

Mr Grogan said: "He admits he lost control. He could not believe the violence when he was shown it on CCTV." Mr Grogan said passers-by who phoned police "feared for their safety".

Stephen Andrews, mitigating, said: "Brothers being brothers, at times they will defend each other to the hilt - other times they will get into stupid behaviour like this."

Mr Andrews said after the pair started punching each other, the younger brother went at his older brother with a piece of wood.

The 17-year-old disarmed his brother, and hit him with the wood, as well as punching and kicking him in the head.

In the days after the fight, the pair "couldn't bear to be in the same room as each other," according to Mr Andrews. They now get on well again, he added.

The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour, and was given a nine-month referral order.