A chef has told a court he felt "shocked" and "threatened" by a restaurant owner who stood in front of him with an axe in each hand.

Henry Daniel Ward, 44, has gone on trial at Carlisle Crown Court.

He denies one charge of affray following an alleged incident at the Lakeside Inn, Brayton, near Aspatria.

A jury heard evidence yesterday from Scott Baxter - one of two chefs who were drinking in the bar area at the end of their shift on the night of 22nd August.

Mr Baxter said he was with colleague Peter Lees when Lakeside owner Ward entered the premises at around 11.30pm.

Ward bought the pair drinks and was described as being in a "jovial" mood.

But Mr Baxter told the court Ward also seemed "intoxicated", "wobbly" and "slurring some words".

He was then said to become "aggressive". "He went out the back of the bar and came back with two axes," Mr Baxter told the jury. "One in each hand."

The chef alleged that Ward, who was behind the bar, then said: "I will chop your hands off - and anyone else's for that matter."

Mr Baxter said he felt "shocked and bewildered". He recalled that Ward threw the axes to the ground behind the bar.

A short time later, Mr Baxter said he went into the kitchen and helped Ward to lift heavy joints of beef.

But he claimed that Ward then took a knife he was using to cut fat from meat, and threw it into a wooden door.

Mr Baxter said he later discussed Ward's behaviour with Mr Lees. "We both had said we had never witnessed anything like it in our lives," Mr Baxter added.

The two chefs decided later that night to leave the premises. They wrote a note, stating that they did not wish to return to work.

Police were alerted, and Ward, of Home Farm, Brayton, was arrested.

But when interviewed he gave a different account.

Opening the case to jurors, prosecutor Richard Haworth had given an indication of his version of events.

"He (Ward) said he was an axe-thrower. One of his hobbies was axe-throwing," Mr Haworth told the jury.

It was Ward's contention he "had not been aggressive at all" that night, stated Mr Haworth, who added: "He said it had all been good natured.

"He said he had merely been demonstrating the axes he used for his hobby."

The trial continues.