David Allen was giving evidence at Belfast Crown Court on the first day of the trial of two men accused of the murder of the two friends from across the sectarian divide.

BBC NI's Annita McVeigh: The Crown said it could link evidence with the defendants

Protestant Philip Allen, 34, and his Catholic friend Damien Trainor, 25, died in a hail of bullets on 3 March last year when loyalist gunmen burst into a bar in Poyntzpass, County Armagh, as they discussed Mr Allen's forthcoming wedding.

Stephen McClean, 30, of Hillside Park in Banbridge and Noel McCready, 33, of Dickson Park in Seapatrick, Banbridge have denied the charges.

A third man, Ryan Robley of Highfield Gardens, has admitted the two murders as well as charges of trying to kill two other people injured in the attack.

Catholic Damien Trainor died while discussing his friend's wedding

A fourth man accused of the murder, David Keyes, was himself murdered while on remand in the Loyalist Volunteer Force wing of the Maze Prison near Belfast.

Mr Allen told the court he had just joined his brother Philip and his friend Damien in the Railway Bar, when the door was kicked open and he saw a gunman.

He said a second gunman then appeared and they were ordered to lie on the floor but initially thought "somebody was playing a prank".

Mr Allen said Damien and his brother "slipped off their stools" as the gunmen ordered: "On the floor you bastards".

He said he crouched down and moved across the bar "to get out of the road" when the shooting started.

After the shooting he found Philip and Damien lying on the floor. Damien looked as if he was injured, but because his brother was wearing a coat and the way he was lying, he could see no blood.

Protestant, Philip Allen, 34, was discussing his wedding when he was murdered

The court also heard how a man used his body to shield his teenage daughter during the attack.

Mr Stephen Williamson said he had gone to the bar with his 13-year-old daughter Louise and some friends, and they had just ordered their first drink when the gunmen burst in.

He said when ordered to the floor he lay over his daughter "to cover her as best I could".

Mr Williamson said he and a friend were shot when the gunmen opened fire for the second time. He said he was shot in the arm, the bullet exiting through his shoulder, but that his daughter was uninjured.

Edwin Lyons told of his own escape as he too used his body to shield Mr Williamson's daughter.

He told Mr Justice Kerr that a bullet sliced across the front of his coat and jumper leaving it "like it had been cut with a pair of scissors".