TWO brothers have appeared in court charged with fighting each other with knives — on one of the siblings' 21st birthday.

Paul Gostelow, 37, and his younger brother Louis are said to have repeatedly struck each other with blades and a bat at the older man's flat on Greenock's Inverkip Street.

Prosecutors say they also struggled and repeatedly punched each other during the course of the alleged fight on Monday afternoon.

The elder brother is said to have been injured.

Both men appeared in the dock of Greenock Sheriff Court on Tuesday to plead not guilty to engaging in a fight and behaving in an aggressive manner.

They continually bickered and repeatedly stared at each other during the custody hearing.

Louis Gostelow is further charged with being in unlawful possession of two knives at the garages near Royal Court on Bearhope Street.

The brothers had been living together but they are now subject to a court order to stay away from each other and have no contact whatsoever.

Their not guilty pleas were tendered on their behalf by lawyers Aidan Gallagher and Gerry Keenan.

The Telegraph told on Monday how police and paramedics attended a disturbance at Inverkip Street shortly after 3pm that day.

Six police vehicles and an ambulance were at the scene.

The Gostelow brothers were allowed bail by Sheriff Michael Higgins.

They are due back in court on the matters on May 12, ahead of a trial scheduled for June 10.