A ROW between neighbours ended with a man having specialist surgery for a knife wound and armed police surrounding a home while a suspect hid in the loft.

Nick Chesham was found by police lying in a large pool of blood next to the front door of his home in St Leonards Crescent, Sandridge, a jury at St Albans Crown Court heard.

He was rushed to hospital while armed officers searched for his neighbour Patrick Lennon.

Robert Colover, prosecuting, alleged the attack was carried out by Patrick Lennon, 24, and his brother James, who also live in the road.

Police and ambulance crews were called to the scene at 3.50am on Sunday, December 18, last year and found Mr Chesham with a cut to his neck and a wound to his left arm, which was bleeding profusely.

A neighbour who had gone to Mr Chesham’s aid told a police officer: “It was Paddy from number two. I saw him and his mate stab Nick.”

Mr Chesham was rushed to Watford Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department where his injuries were not found to be life-threatening but he was transferred to St Mary’s in Paddington for specialist surgery for nerve and vascular damage.

An armed police unit was sent to the street and went to number two. At 4.50am James Lennon walked out of the house with no top on and a blue track suit bottom and was taken away by the police.

An hour later, an armed search of the house was carried out and nobody was found but the loft hatch was unlocked.

A fibre-optic camera was used to search the loft and nobody was located but finally Patrick Lennon was seen hiding in a corner. He gave himself up but threatened and was aggressive to the officers, Mr Colover alleged.

In a statement neighbour Julian White said he looked out of his window at 4am after being woken up by thumping and banging. He saw two men attacking Nick Chesham’s Vauxhall Vectra. Both were “out of control” and jumping

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