In the shadow of the walls of Conwy's famous 13th century castle the knives came out to settle a bitter feud between two local men.

They arrived armed with kitchen knives, one turning up in his BMW, shocking and frightening residents tending their gardens on a September afternoon last year.

"It's unbelievable," said Judge Huw Rees at Caernarfon crown court where both men, once firm friends, were given suspended sentences, in the dock after they had been remanded to prison for two nights.

Father-of-three Luke Walker, aged 34, who is an off-shore rig worker, had "slashed rather than thrust" his knife at Richard Fryer, 32, a £60,000-a-year diver who has run seven desert marathons to raise money for a hospice.

Both men - Walker of Parc Castell,Llandudno Junction and Fryer of Bryn Benarth, Conwy - pleaded guilty to affray and having a knife.

Walker, because he had used his weapon, got a suspended 20-months prison term and Fryer - who did not - 16 months, and each was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £340 costs.

The judge had heard how a shocked woman motorist had recorded the scene in Bryn Castell, Conwy, on her dashcam.

In a police interview Fryer agreed "that a fight was arranged." Sion ap Mihangel, for Walker, said the knives had been discarded within seconds. Walker accepted thrashing with the knife over Fryer's clothing, rather than a thrusting act.

Simon Killeen, for Fryer, said he had a deep sense of shame. "This shameful behaviour was the climax to their hostility," he added. "At the ages of 32 and 34 to be engaged in this sort of conduct in a residential street is outrageous."

Passing sentence the judge said witnesses had looked on "disbelievingly as you both started to wave your weapons about - that two grown men could get involved in such an incident."

Fryer had superficial injuries and Walker a bloodied nose and mouth from the melee.

Sighs of relief were heard from the dock when the judge announced that the sentences would be suspended.

The judge told the pair: "You have both  been extremely foolish. You have had time in custody since Monday to reflect how much you could have thrown away, your employment, your progress and the security and support you give to your family."