Four men have been jailed for life for murdering a man in a “vicious, terrifying and sustained” machete attack in the street.

Sajed Choudry, 42, was fatally attacked near his home in Blackburn after a feud between two families.

A trial at Preston crown court heard how Choudry, a father of four, had been involved in an escalating dispute with members of the Ali family before it escalated into “large-scale disorder” on 24 November last year.

Choudry’s ears were partially severed and his skull was split while his son Ahsan, 24, suffered an “appalling” wound to his hand during the attack, the court heard.

The judge, Mr Justice Dove, on Monday sentenced Sadaqat Ali, 36, his brother Rafaqat Ali, 38, their father-in-law Fazal Ilahi, 63, and another man, Syed Ali Akbar, 45, to life terms.

He said: “Anyone who has observed the evidence in this trial as it has unfolded will have been astonished and horrified to learn how a respectable family, leading a constructive and responsible life in the community, allowed itself to so rapidly descend into callous violence and murder, killing one of their neighbours and seriously injuring his son.”

The court heard that the Choudry and Ali families had been involved in a feud for seven months before the incident. Jurors were told about earlier confrontations between the two families, including one when car tyres were allegedly slashed by another of Choudry’s sons.

On the evening of the murder, Sadaqat Ali and the other men had armed themselves with a machete, an axe and sticks before they tried to confront Ahsan Choudry.

CCTV footage was shown to the jury of Choudry and his son attempting to defend themselves with a baseball bat and a cricket bat but they were “completely outnumbered”, said the judge.

Dove said they were “subjected to a vicious, terrifying and sustained attack. Sajed Choudry was slashed and chopped by the machete”.

The court heard that Ahsan Choudry tried to escape but was chased and suffered an “appalling injury” to his hand as he tried to fend off the knife.

Members of the Choudry family were in tears in the public gallery as the men were sentenced.

The judge told the defendants: “By your actions you have left a void in this family which will never be filled.”

Sadaqat Ali was found guilty of murder and attempted murder and sentenced to a minimum of 32 years. The judge said he played the leading role in the attack, which was “undoubtedly planned”.

Guy Gozem QC, defending, said: “Before this night, Sadaqat Ali was regarded as a friendly, hard-working, considerate, caring, good-natured, calm and reliable individual. Something happened that changed all of that and his previous life and good character.”

A youth, who was convicted of manslaughter and wounding, will be sentenced next month.