A father-of-six has relived the moment he was left permanently disabled when he was blasted with a shotgun at close range on the path of his Bradford home.

Brian Jackson told a jury he wished the alleged gunman: “Happy New Year” shortly before he was seriously wounded in the leg more than five years ago.

Robert Whelan, 31, denies having a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and unlawfully and maliciously wounding Mr Jackson with intent to do him grievous bodily harm at 1.40am on January 1, 2007.

Prosecutor John Topham told Bradford Crown Court yesterday Whelan left the country for his native Ireland after his arrest in connection with the shooting. He was extradited to stand trial.

Mr Topham said two families on the Holme Wood estate in Bradford, the Lees and the Carrs, were involved in “an ongoing feud” before the shooting.

Whelan, known as Navvy, lived on Grayswood Crescent with Joanne Lee.

In October, 2006, her sister Debra was glassed in the face by Anthony Carr.

Mr Topham said the ill-feeling blew up into trouble in the early hours of January 1.

Mr Carr’s brother, Liam, was at Mr Jackson’s home also on Grayswood Crescent, that night.

It was the Crown’s case that Mr Jackson got in the way of Whelan, who was after Liam Carr.

Mr Topham said five witnesses, including Mr Jackson, had identified the defendant as the gunman.

Mr Jackson told the jury he was in the Moorfield pub, in Cutler Heights Lane, Bradford, on New Year’s Eve, 2006.

He saw Navvy and wished him: “Happy New Year.”

He was at home after 1am when he was told Navvy was outside.

Mr Jackson said the defendant told him: “This is nothing to do with you. It is Liam I want.”

At first he thought he was carrying a stick. He stuck up his hands and said his children were in the house.

“I saw the barrel of a gun and heard a blast and I remember grabbing my leg and dropping to the floor,” Mr Jackson said.

“I think I fell backwards on to the fence and held one of the bars and my leg gave way.”

The court heard he staggered back into the house, leaving a trail of blood.

He suffered a serious gunshot wound to his right shin, with at least 30 pellets embedded in the leg. He needed several operations and had been left with a disability.

Cross-examined by Whelan’s barrister, Rodney Ferm, Mr Jackson agreed there was no bad feeling between the men before the shooting.

The trial continues.