A man feared for his life when he was allegedly confronted by a man brandishing a sword at a caravan site at Sutton Heath, a court has heard.

Giving evidence at Ipswich Crown Court, Russell Straker said he went to the site with his partner to visit Timothy Richardson who he had known for a few years.

He described his friendship with Richardson as “rocky” and said he had visited him to find out “how he was doing”.

He claimed that as soon as he got out of his car Richardson had started shouting abuse at him and said:”I’ve got something for you. I’ve bought it specially for you. I want to hear you gurgle with your own blood.”

He claimed Richardson was waving his arms and he had not realised what he was talking about until Richardson allegedly produced a sword and started trying to attack him with it.

Mr Straker said he had to “duck and dive” to avoid being assaulted with the weapon and thought he was going to be killed.

Richardson, 34, of Rendham Road, Saxmundham, has denied threatening Mr Straker with a machete in such a way that there was an immediate risk of serious harm to Mr Straker.

The offence is alleged to have been committed on April 7.

The court heard armed police and the force helicopter were scrambled following the alleged incident and Richardson was arrested after climbing out of the driver’s window of his double decker bus.

A police officer who saw Richardson at the time of his arrest thought he was under the influence of drugs.

Cross-examined by defence counsel Steven Dyble, Mr Straker described the weapon produced by Richardson as a metre long “Viking sword” with a two to three inch wide blade.

He claimed Richardson had tried unsuccessfully to hit him with the sword around a dozen times.

Asked by Mr Dyble “How did you avoid this bombardment?” Mr Straker replied: “That’s the thing I’ve been asking myself.”

Mr Straker denied that following the alleged incident he and his girlfriend had approached Richardson in Ipswich town centre and asked for money in return for not turning up at court.

The trial continues on Monday.