A court heard that actor Clive Mantle had a “substantial part of his ear” bitten off in a hotel after telling two loud drunks to be quiet.

He said it happened in a hotel corridor after Philip McGilvray, 33, and Alan French, 32, had awakened him up, according to his testimony before Newcastle Crown Court.

The actor was staying at the Quayside Travelodge in Newcastle while working in the region.

The jury heard that Mr Mantle, 56, was on his way to the Quayside Travelodge reception to complain when they attacked him.

According to Mr. Mantle, the two threw a lot of blows, landing “four absolute pearlers.”

He told the court, “I remember being attacked by two men with every blow they had in their armoury.”

Mr Mantle, according to The Sun, told the court: “The next thing I was aware of was a pain in my left ear, which triggered an amazing response in me.

“You cannot believe someone has actually bitten your ear. I said ‘you are biting my f***ing ear.'”

Prosecutor Jolyon Perks said: “As he approached the two defendants they deliberately blocked his path.

“He told them he needed to get past and placed his hands between them, and tried to force his way through, perhaps not unreasonably considering the situation he was in.

“At this point they both decided to grab his arms and set about him.

“Both men threw a flurry of drunken punches, some landed, some didn’t.

“Ultimately, it ended with him being dragged on the ground face down.”

Mr McGilvray’s lawyer, Robin Patton, accused Mr Mantle of losing his cool and running towards the two men, both from Hamilton.

Mr McGilvray was knocked to the ground, according to him, and the actor ended up on top of him.

Mr Patton remarked, “You took out Philip McGilvray, he did not stand a chance and with your weight, you took him to the ground.”

“Absolutely not,” the actor said, adding that he was “flabbergasted” by the accusation.

He attempted to apprehend the duo, but they managed to flee. Mr Mantle told the court how Alice Klenk, a nurse in a neighbouring room, rushed to his rescue.

He said, “I can remember my blood on the fire door. We were swerving all over the place until this lady calmed me down and said ‘let them go, let’s get back to your room, I’m a nurse’. I had my ear in my left hand, she put it in a glass of water to preserve it so it could be reattached.

“She found a plastic cup in the bathroom, she put water in it and my ear in it. I owe an awful lot to that lady.”

McGilvray, 33, of Arbroath Grove, Hamilton, and French, 32, of Forrest Gate, Hamilton, both deny causing serious bodily injury with the intent to kill.

According to the prosecution, there is no question about what Mr McGilvray did, and Mr French faces the same allegation as Mr McGilvray because of his shared culpability.

Mr Mantle had “gone for” his pal McGilvray, according to French, so he sought to separate them.

Both men dispute the allegations.