A DRUG dealer robbed at gunpoint was told on the phone a month earlier that he was "going to get it and they would take his stuff", a murder trial was told.

Carl Lindsay, aged 25, was with a friend, Adam Prince, when he answered his mobile phone, the jury at Manchester Crown Court heard. Mr Prince said Lindsay could not identify the caller.

Around a month later, in February last year, Mr Prince and his friend Darren Pettigrew went to Lindsay's flat in Hollyoake Road, Walkden, for drugs.

Three men slipped in behind them and robbed Lindsay of cash.

But after two guns were pointed at him, Lindsay allegedly took out a Samurai sword, held it shoulder high and chased the trio out of his flat aiming blows at them.

Lindsay has pleaded not guilty to murdering the alleged gunman, Stephen Swindells, aged 33, of Harwood Court, Salford.

Mr Swindells had four main wounds, all inflicted from behind. An artery was severed causing massive blood loss and death.

Lindsay is in the dock with Darren Ashton, aged 29, of Coniston Avenue, Little Hulton; David Ryan, aged 30, of Culverwell Drive, Salford; and alleged getaway driver Michael Page, aged 25, of Trenthamlowas, Salford.

Ashton, Ryan and Page all deny robbing Lindsay of cash and having a self-loading pistol.

Mr Prince said two of the robbers had their jacket hoods up and the gunman wore a balaclava. He did not see the sword hit anyone but two or three blows were quickly aimed before the men were out of his sight.

Mr Prince, questioned by Richard Marks QC, for Lindsay, said the robbers' conduct had been very frightening.

Afterwards, Lindsay looked profoundly shocked and the witness said he saw the blood stains on the sword. In the hallway he saw one of the guns.

Proceeding