THREE men who battled each other with a machete, hammer and baseball bats in the broad daylight in a busy residential street have been convicted by a jury.

Following a ten day trial at Bolton Crown Court Craig Hollinrake, Wesley Burbidge and Nathan Holmes were unanimously found guilty of violent disorder.

Hollinrake, who was previously sentenced to 16 years in prison for a conspiracy to murder which resulted in the death of five-year-old Dillon Hull, was also found guilty of possessing a baseball bat and Burbidge was convicted of possessing a hammer. Holmes was found not guilty of possessing a baseball bat.

The trio's co-defendants, Stuart Brough, aged 42, of George Street, Farnworth, and Donovan Holmes, aged 30, of Harper Green Road, Farnworth, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and all five men are due to be sentenced on May 7.

During the trial the jury heard how shocked onlookers watched in horror as weapons were used and cars rammed in a violent attack in the middle of Laburnum Road, Farnworth, on May 15.

Donovan Holmes was driving a red Mini, with his brother Nathan in the passenger seat, while a white Audi was being driven by Brough, who had Burbidge and Hollinrake as passengers.

Witnesses saw the men in the Audi in Laburnum Road, Farnworth, just before 5pm, apparently “pumped up on adrenaline” and approached by the occupants of the Mini, who smashed the rear and side windows of the Audi.

The Audi headed off towards the roundabout at Highfield Road, going round it the wrong way before heading back up Laburnum Road and smashing into the back of the Mini.

The occupants of the Audi, wearing blue latex gloves, got out and began fighting with the Mini driver and passenger in the road.

The court heard that, afterwards, the Mini occupants pushed the damaged vehicle to the side of the road and the Audi was found abandoned in Gorton Street, Farnworth.

When arrested, the men admitted they had been at the scene, but each claimed they had been acting in self-defence.

Although Judge Graeme Smith granted bail to Hollinrake, aged 45, of Pole Street, Bolton, Burbidge, aged 41, of Tig Fold Road, Farnworth, and Nathan Holmes, aged 27, of Highfield Road, Farnworth, until sentencing, he warned them that custodial sentences are likely.

He told them: "Undoubtedly the starting point in relation to this matter is a prison sentence and a significant prison sentence. It is quite possible that there will be immediate prison sentences in the circumstances. I make the comment so that you are under no illusions."

Pre-sentence reports by the probation service will be compiled on all the defendants before the sentencing hearing and Judge Smith will be given details of their previous convictions.

In 1997 Hollinrake was convicted of conspiring to murder John Bates, who was a drug dealer and had had a falling out with local drugs boss Billy Webb. Gunman Paul Seddon aimed at Mr Bates in Bankfield Street, Deane, but missed, killing his intended victim's stepson, Dillon Hull.