A pub brawl between two families looked like a scene from a Wild West movie, a court was told.

The punch-up "exploded" after a confrontation about the daughter from one family taking cigarettes without asking.

The fight at The Chequers in Preston Street, Brighton, left two men unconscious and customers cowering in fear, the court heard.

At one stage the brawl spilled out on to the street with two of the men rolling along the pavement as they wrestled each other.

Blacksmith Clive Savage, 49, and his son Mark, 21, of Gloucester Road, Burgess Hill, both denied affray on December 16 last year.

Both were found not guilty yesterday when a jury took just 55 minutes to clear them after a five-day trial at Hove Crown Court.

They said they had acted in self-defence and claimed Richard Watts and his sons James and Michael went over to their table and began a confrontation.

Richard Watts had gone to the pub to celebrate his birthday with his family.

Mark Savage had taken his girlfriend to the pub that night to meet his family.

The court heard the brawl began after Mr Watts' daughter took a cigarette from Clive Savage's table without asking.

Mr Savage, formerly of Castle Street, Brighton, at first ignored what had happened but told Miss Watts to buy her own cigarettes when she later came back and tried to take a second one.

Nurse Tracey-Anne Day was drinking in the pub and said she thought Miss Watts' behaviour was "bizarre" as members of her family were smoking their own cigarettes.

Miss Day and barman Adam Hill both said the Savages were still sitting at their table when the Watts brothers went over to speak to them.

The jury heard the fight began after Richard Watts got up from his table and went towards the Savages with his fists raised.

None of the witnesses or the families were able to say who had thrown the first punch.

Amanda-Jane Field, defending Mark Savage, said: "I don't think anyone can be sure exactly what happened that night.

"One witness said it was like a scene from a Wild West film and Clive Savage said it was like being in a cartoon."

As he left court, Mark Savage said: "It was a fair result."