Eight-year-old twin brothers witnessed a vulnerable man being attacked with bricks and his own metal detector, a Court heard.

A jury at Bradford Crown Court was shown video interviews the boys gave to police the day after the incident, at Frizinghall in April last year.

The brothers, now ten, were playing football with a friend on a fenced-in five-a-side pitch when they saw Matthew Ellis, 39, being attacked on a path by a group of teenagers.

Mr Ellis needed emergency surgery after he was hit on the forehead by a rock, thrown by one of the gang, causing a wound which penetrated the membrane surrounding his brain. He also suffered a broken arm after being struck three times with his metal detector.

Mr Ellis, who had mental health difficulties, was taking a short cut home after metal-detecting in Shipley, when he was attacked.

Three teenagers from Frizinghall are on trial, accused of wounding with intent. Majid Ali, 19, of Aireville Road, and two 16-year-olds, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, have denied the charge.

A fourth teenager, Amar Shah, 18, of Lynthorne Road, was today found guilty by the jury, on the direction of Judge Jonathan Rose, after he admitted hitting Mr Ellis with the metal detector, though he denied throwing stones. He was released on bail to be sentenced at a later date.

The jury today heard one of the twins tell police the group of Asian boys started shouting at Mr Ellis, calling him names, swearing at him and being racist.

He said the man shouted back and the group started throwing big rocks and stones at him.

The boy said Mr Ellis was hit by about ten stones and was then hit three times on the arm with the metal detector. He said he felt frightened and scared.

Questioned by Simon Hustler, representing one of the 16-year-olds, he said that teenager threw two or three stones and then started telling the others to stop.

He told the court he could see all the time what was happening.

His brother, in his video interview, said the group threw about 50 stones and about 40 of them hit Mr Ellis. He said Mr Ellis went down and rubbed his eyes after being hit on the head. He was on his knees when he was hit with the metal detector.

The trial continues.