BLOOD from the York victim of an alleged axe attack was found on the shirt of a nightclub worker, a jury has heard.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Philip Holdsworth's face was covered in blood when he rang the doorbell of Scarborough resident Stuart Dawes at 5.45am on Sunday, December 29.

He had two wounds in his head and police found a broken axe in a pool of blood nearby in a park alongside Woodlands Ravine.

Forensic scientist Edward Mitchell told the jury he had matched bloodstains on the axe and on the shirt of nightclub worker Arthur McLauchlan with Mr Holdsworth's DNA. The jury also heard that the nightclub worker's palm prints were found on the cupboard where the axe had been earlier that night.

McLauchlan, 23, of Rothbury Street, Scarborough, denies attempted murder.

He told police that he had gone with Mr Holdsworth to the park, but had left him with a third man.

About 30 seconds after he went off on his own, he heard a scream and turned back, McLauchlan said in a police interview. But there was no sign of the other two men. Mr Dawes, who lives in Woodlands Ravine, said in a statement read to the jury that he did not open the door to help Mr Holdsworth as the injured man told him "the person who had done it was still out there".

Instead he called police.

Malcolm Swift, of Scarborough, who was walking along Woodlands Ravine some time after 5.30am told the jury he heard two men arguing in the park area. They sounded drunk. He did not see a third man.

Mr Mitchell said he found two very small blood marks on McLauchlan's shirt sleeve.

In the police interviews, McLauchlan said he was walking the streets of Scarborough to take his mind off girlfriend trouble when he saw Mr Holdsworth at about 4.30am, near the railway station.

"He was a nice enough lad. He was just sitting until he got the first train," he said. "I just invited him in. I felt sorry for him."

But after a short while at McLauchlan's home, Mr Holdsworth seemed jumpy, he seemed to have something up his sleeve and suggested they go out for drugs.

McLauchlan told police Mr Holdsworth led the way to the ravine.

The trial continues.

Updated: 10:37 Thursday, June 26, 2003