Two men who had a running battle through the busy streets of Macclesfield were described as ‘a pair of clowns’, a court heard.

Jonathan Lee Stott, 25, and Philip Shane Yeomans, 27, began rowing outside a discount shop in the town centre before becoming violent, magistrates were told.

They then chased each other through the streets swinging punches and throwing bottles at each other in front of shocked shoppers, prosecutors said.

Yeomans, of Cross Lane, Congleton, and Stott, of Roe Street, Macclesfield, admitted using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or or provoke unlawful violence at Macclesfield magistrates’ court on November 24.

Simon Pover, prosecuting, said: “Both the defendants were involved in a running fight through Macclesfield.

“At 2.50pm on October 31 the defendants were both near B&M Home Bargains. They were seen arguing outside the store. They started pushing each other. Another male tried to break it up. They ran off down Mill Street. They were shouting abuse at each other. CCTV captured them fighting on Park Green. It shows they throwing punches at each other and throwing Desperado Beers at each other.”

The court heard that after they were arrested the pair blamed one another.

Mr Pover added: “Yeomons said the Stott wanted to fight and he was just standing up for himself. He said there was bad blood between them and called Stott a ‘straight up p***’. He said he was sick of him bullying people and thinking he is was ‘all that’.

“Stott claimed Yeoman hit him with a beer bottle. He described them as ‘both going for it’. He said he ran away and fell down some steps.”

John Christie, defending, both men described the pair as ‘clowns’.

He said: “They have been friends for several years. Bizarrely neither know the reason that they fell out. There were no blows or contact. It was like shadow boxing around Macclesfield. Both have substantial records.”

Magistrate Virginia Platt ordered the pair to be detained in the court for a day adding: “You have family and friends. You need to think about the most elderly person you know and the smallest, youngest person you know. Then think about them witnessing those shocking scenes.”