I tried to break up fatal fight moments before victim was stabbed, says 16-year-old girl

The 16-year-old said she managed to pull fellow partygoer Nick Cooper away from the brawl but turned around seconds later to see his opponent Connan McLeod lying on the ground, fatally wounded.

It is alleged that another guest Daniel Allott had 'barged' outside, past spectators, and plunged a bread knife into 23-year-old Mr McLeod's side.

The violence erupted in the road outside a flat in Stone, Staffordshire, where a 22nd birthday party was in full swing.

Party host Harriet Clay claimed the fight was over when Allot got involved and that Mr McLeod raised his hands as if to back away from any more trouble when he saw Allott advancing towards him

She told Stafford Crown Court: "Danny came flying past me and went over to Connan on the grass verge. I could see Connan raising his hands with his palms up. They were both just standing there.

"It looked like Danny punched him, I couldn't see if anything was in his hand, and Connan stumbled back a couple of steps. Then he turned to try and walk back to his mates and fell on the floor. Danny crossed over the road and said 'I've just stabbed him. He looked pannicky."

Police and paramedics attended Whitemill Lane at around 12.40am on April 12 but Mr McLeod was pronounced dead at the scene. A post mortem revealed he died from a single stab wound to the heart and left lung.

Earlier the 16-year-old, who admitted she was very drunk that night, described Mr Cooper as 'barging' past her to join the fray.

And she broke down as she recalled the moment she saw Mr McLeod on the ground after she had intervened to stop the scrap.

She said: "His friends had gathered round him. I knelt and put my arm under his head and put pressure on the wound and told him everything was going to be all right. He looked so calm, dead peaceful."

She said: "I was distraught. It was meant to be a good day. I was in complete shock."

The jury heard that earlier in the evening Mr McLeod had been bottled by Mr Cooper when they exchanged heated words at a nearby park.

It was said that Mr McLeod turned up at the party uninvited about an hour later with a group of friends, one allegedly armed with a baseball bat, challenging Mr Cooper to a fight.

Allot, of of Bagots Oak, Stafford, denies murder.

The trial continues.