TWO day-trippers are standing trial over allegations that they were involved in a ‘violent melee’ involving up to 30 people in Weymouth town centre.

Ronald Brenton, 21, and Luke Cox, 23, are charged with violent disorder.

Brenton, of Wodehouse Road, Itchen, Southampton, and Cox, of West Way, Bournemouth, deny the charge.

Prosecutor Megan Topliss told Dorchester Crown Court yesterday that the offence is alleged to have taken place on June 25, 2011.

She said: “What started off as a pleasant afternoon turned into violence.”

The jury heard how Brenton was asked by police to move on following altercations outside Rendezvous and the George.

But later CCTV images from the same day show a violent clash between two separate groups of males on the junction of King Street and Gloucester Mews.

Miss Topliss added: “Mr Brenton is aggressive in manner and is involved in the fight.

“It seems quite quickly he is on the floor, but officers still see him punching and kicking out.

“Mr Cox is part of the other group and gets involved in the fight.”

The pair were part of separate groups of young men who had visited Weymouth for the day and had been drinking, the court heard.

Giving evidence, Brenton said he entered the fight to help a friend who had been set upon by four men.

Cox added that he tried to pull a member of the other group off a friend, and hit out in self-defence when he was attacked.

Today the jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict.