A travellers’ wedding at a golf club in the West Midlands descended into chaos when it was gatecrashed by a gang armed with axes, machetes and swords, a court heard.

Young girls in pink dresses were seen running into toilets at the Walsall venue to hide as the weapons were brandished. One man was knocked on the back of the head with a weapon.

The gang was then chased out of Calderfields Golf Club in Aldridge by guests.

Father-to-be Augustine Quinn, aged 25, from Wolverhampton, was yesterday given a suspended prison sentence after admitting being the man who brought the axe to the party.

Quinn, of Showell Road, Low Hill, admitted violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon.

Mr Jas Mann, prosecuting, said  Quinn was one of six to seven males who went into the club armed with a variety of weapons including axes, machetes and swords.

He said: “The wedding party was from the travelling fraternity. These men went into the club and were seen to be marching about, putting people in fear of their safety.”

No explanation was given over the motivation for the violence, which happened late on September 26, 2008.

Witness Kevin Clee, aged 43, described being “knocked to his knees” outside the venue by a blow to the back of his head which left him with a six inch laceration.

“I felt like I had been hit with a shovel,” he said in a statement to the court.

There was no evidence Quinn attacked anyone, but he was seen on CCTV.

He has previous convictions for possession of a machete, lock knife and a four foot scythe.

Judge Michael Dudley said: “The events of this day happened on somebody’s wedding day. It’s horrendous to think that somebody’s wedding could be interfered with in this way.

He jailed Quinn for 39 weeks, suspended for two years, and ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work.

Last year Tommy and Jerry Quinn, aged 29 and 19  respectively, also of Showell Road, Low Hill, were put behind bars for 18 months after admitting the same charges over the night’s disturbance.