A friend of a teenager who was left with the blade of a knife embedded in his back after being stabbed in an Ipswich street has described seeing the alleged attacker running down the street with a knife.

Giving evidence at Ipswich Crown Court on the second day of the trial of a 17-year-old youth accused of the stabbing, the witness said he heard an argument taking place in a house in Cemetery Road, Ipswich, between the 17-year-old and two of his friends.

He could not hear what was being said but then saw his two friends come running out of the house followed by the 17-year-old who was holding a knife, the court heard.

The witness said the 17-year-old had chased after one of his friends and had then turned back and allegedly stabbed his other friend.

He had not seen the alleged stabbing which happened 200m from where he was standing but he had heard his friend shout out after he was attacked.

The 17-year-old has denied wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, possessing a knife and assault by beating. The defendant and the witnesses cannot be named due to their ages.

It has been alleged that the 17-year-old and the alleged victim of the stabbing and one of his friends had met up in a house in Cemetery Road, Ipswich, on April 9 to discuss ill-feeling between them.

However, once inside they saw he was holding two knives and he then allegedly grabbed one of the youths by the collar and swung the knife at him, tearing his collar.

The youth pushed the 17-year-old out of the way before running out into the street with his friend.

The 17-year-old allegedly chased after them and the one with the torn shirt managed to escape but his friend was stabbed in the chest.

“The blade of the knife was left in his body,” said Matthew Sorel-Cameron, prosecuting.

The 17-year old ran off with the handle and threw it in the ground.

The injured youth was taken to hospital and had three stitches in the stab wound which was not life threatening.

After his arrest, the 17-year-old claimed he had been attacked and was acting in self defence.

The trial continues.