Two men have been cleared of attacking the Games of Thrones actor Clive Mantle at a Travelodge in Newcastle. Philip McGilvray, 33, and Alan French, 32, were accused of biting off part of Mantle's ear in a dispute in a hotel corridor in March last year, reports BBC News.

Clive MantleClive Mantle Had His Ear Bitten Off

The pair had denied wounding with intent and were cleared of the attack on the 56-year-old actor, who had been working at a local theatre at the time.

During the trial, McGilvray admitting biting Mantle's ear in an argument over noise, but claimed he was acting in self-defence after being pinned down. He told the court the actor knocked him to the floor in an attack that felt like "being hit by a car."

McGilvray, of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, told the jury he had been drinking with friends since the afternoon before returning to the hotel with Mr French, of Forrest Gate.

The pair became aware of Mantle when he came out of his room to ask them to be quiet. The actor told the jury how he was brought down "like an old water buffalo by two hyenas" and remembered seeing a "guardian angel" named Alice Klenk, who intervened to help. That is when he remembered seeing the chunk of flesh on the carpet.

The jury deliberated for almost five hours before clearing the pair of all charges.