Alan Jackson told a jury he was terrified when Nardia Wild used her Vauxhall Astra to pin him against his girlfriend's Nissan Micra.

Today's top news...
- Final blow for glass factory.
- Tory victory in by-election.
- Rescuing Rock costs £8billion.
- £15m town revamp gets go-ahead.

"Nardia was angry," he said. "The car's engine was revving and the tyres were spinning.

"I was stood in the road next to the passenger side of the car and I had my belly up against the car to leave enough room for her to pass.

"But the car swerved towards me and its bumper and lights caught the Nissan Micra and the back of my legs."

Durham Crown Court heard Mr Jackson and his girlfriend had come across the scene of a domestic dispute between Wild and her boyfriend in Kell Crescent, Sherburn Hill, by chance.

"We went to the street to visit somebody else," he said. "They were not at home and as we were about to go I saw Nardia's boyfriend, who I know only as Stephen.

"He had just come out of her house and looked scared. He asked if we would give him a lift to his mam's house and we said we would.

"I then saw Nardia come out of her house. She was shouting and waving a knife and saying she was going to kill someone.

"She didn't come towards Stephen, but went to get into a Vauxhall Astra that was parked outside her house.

"The Nissan Micra is a two-door car and the Astra came towards me as I was opening the passenger door to let Stephen get into the back."

The court was told the Micra was extensively damaged in the incident and Mr Jackson suffered torn muscles in the back of his legs, bruising, and minor cuts.

Wild, 20, formerly of Kell Crescent, Sherburn Hill, now of Beech Road, Sherburn Village, denied dangerous driving on January 11, this year. She admitted the lesser charge of careless driving and a separate charge of affray.

The Recorder, Mr Ian Atherton, stopped the trial at the end of its first day and ordered the jury to find Wild not guilty of dangerous driving after ruling there were "inconsistencies" in the prosecution case.

Wild was bailed and will be sentenced for affray and careless driving at a later date.