TWO gang members involved in a series of violent armed clashes with rival factions in Bolton have failed to get their jail terms reduced on appeal.

Shahid Sharif, aged 27, of Spa Road, Bolton, and Rafaqat Ali Khan, aged 28, of Mayor Street, Bolton, were both involved in a number of gang fights and beatings in 2003.

During the fights guns were brandished, men were attacked with baseball bats and iron bars while another was stabbed with a sword.

Sharif pleaded guilty to four counts of violent disorder at Bolton Crown Court and was sentenced to seven-and-half-years in jail in November last year.

Khan admitted two counts of violent disorder, one of unlawful wounding and one of breaching bail and was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in December.

Both men appealed against the length of their sentences before Lord Justice Tuckey, sitting with Mr Justice Bean and Sir Charles Mantell at Londons Criminal Appeal Court.

The judge told the court how, during one of the incidents involving Sharif, a gang of armed men stormed a nightclub and attacked the occupants with snooker cues and bottles.

Khan was involved in a beating outside a chip shop during which a single victim was pinned to the ground by a gang and beaten round the head with bats and iron bars.

In another incident in Gibraltar Street, Bolton, in which both men were involved, Khan, as part of a gang, smashed a car window and stabbed its occupant in the thigh with a sword, prior to him being dragged out and beaten by others.

"These were horrifying incidents during a serious campaign of violence fuelled by gang rivalry," said the judge on Thursday.

"Criminal behaviour of this sort in Bolton cannot be tolerated and a message had to be sent that this sort of behaviour would be dealt with severely.

"This was not a case of appellants who had made prompt admissions indicating their willingness to take responsibility for their actions."

The judge added: "Given the need to protect the public in Bolton from this kind of gang violence, we cannot say that these sentences were manifestly excessive and these appeals are dismissed."