A nightclub doorman claimed his eye "exploded in blood" when footballer John Terry hit him in the face with a bottle.

Trevor Thirlwall said he was smashed in the face during an altercation with Chelsea players Mr Terry and Jody Morris and Wimbledon player Des Byrne on 4 January.

The jury has seen CCTV footage of the fight at The Wellington Club, in Knightsbridge, central London, which started when the three players were asked to leave.

But the moment that Mr Thirlwall was allegedly hit in the face took place outside and was not caught on CCTV.

I have never ever, ever experienced the pain of being hit like that

Trevor Thirlwall

He told Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court on Tuesday he had been hit by Mr Morris when he was attacked with a bottle by Mr Terry.

He said: "As I turned to look at him I felt the sheer weight of a blunt object of some sort and it absolutely just shattered my eye and my cheekbone.

"My eye literally exploded in blood and within seconds the swelling just came up."

"As he hit me I knew I hadn't been hit with someone's fist."

All three defendants deny affray and say they were acting in self-defence.

Mr Terry also denies a charge of wounding and possessing a glass bottle as a weapon. Mr Byrne denies possessing a weapon - another bottle.

Prosecutor Desmond de Silva QC had told the court that on the night of the brawl Mr Thirlwall had not been licensed as a doorman by Westminster City Council.

John Terry is accused of hitting a doorman

He also suggested that the club had been serving drinks out of hours. Club manager Sasha Keegan said they had a licence to serve until 01:00 BST.

Mr Thirlwall earlier claimed that before the fight the players had asked an actor who had recently starred in a film with Vinnie Jones for his autograph then made rude gestures behind his back.

They also mocked a famous Italian designer about a pair of multi-coloured jeans he was wearing, Mr Thirlwall claimed.

He said he was also told by Mr Morris: "You are nothing, we buy people like you, you can't do nothing to people like us."

Mr Thirlwall told the court: "I have been threatened with the sack before and I have had lots of celebrities tell me how much they earn - it has no effect on me."

The trial continues.