One neighbour, who didn’t want to be named, said: “We sometimes heard odd, not normal, music and smells like joss sticks and things. John has a personalised number plate for his car that says 666, which is a bit worrying.

“I think he’s quite open about saying he’s a witch.

“Anne and Mark’s home is behind John’s garden and it sits up a bit higher so it’s effectively looking over his garden.

“I think that made the noise levels a lot worse, but we didn’t know exactly what had gone on.”

The court heard the Denyers moved to Hillbury Park, a semi-retirement residential park, in February 2017 for a peaceful and tranquil life.

Their £150,000 property backed on to Mr Bennett’s home that he shared with his Pagan partner Samantha Hathaway.

The couple are members of the Clan of the Pheryllt which are inspired by ancient druids who practised alchemy in the Welsh mountains.

Today, members hold public and private rituals or esbats at the time of a full moon, solstices and equinoxes.

The Denyers took exception to the “disturbances” from Mr Bennett’s property.

They had complained to the park owners about the rituals but had never spoken directly to Mr Bennett until the evening of November 4 last year.

Judge Jonathan Fuller said: “You Mrs Denyer complained to your husband about the noise coming from Mr Bennett’s garden.

“He was performing a full moon ceremony, which Pagans are inclined to do once a month and involves incantations and rhythmic beating of drums.

“I am quite satisfied it was Mr Denyer who prompted the initial exchange over the fence which soon escalated to insults and threats being traded on both sides.

“Both sides went back into their respective homes to avoid further conflict and it simply should have ended there.

“But a few minutes later each of you left your home to go round to Mr Bennett’s, you Mrs Denyer with an umbrella and you Mr Denyer with a carving knife.”

The court heard more insults were traded at Mr Bennett’s garden gate, leading to Mrs Denyer to hit the druid with her brolly.

The judge said: “You Mrs Denyer set about him with your umbrella, striking him to his head.

“This resulted in two lacerations that caused immediate bleeding. He did no more than push you to one side – it would be understandable if it was with some degree of force.

“Within moments you Mr Denyer were also involved. You punched out towards him in the stomach area thereby causing the wound to the abdomen.

“He on seeing the knife then tried to disarm you. He grabbed the knife from you but not before receiving some other minor injuries.

“Throughout the struggle Mrs Denyer continued to strike him with the umbrella, seemingly thinking her husband needed protection from the man who was in fact disarming him.”

The fracas was witnessed by Mr Bennett’s partner, Samantha Hathaway, who became distraught at seeing blood.

Judge Fuller said: “The depth of the injury is unclear, suffice to say Mr Bennett is a 22-stone man of very big build with a big belly. The knife went in sufficiently far to penetrate the abdominal muscle but not the peritoneal cavity.”

Thomas Evans, defending Mr Denyer, said the incident was completely out of character for his client.

He said: “This is a man who has lived a long and fruitful life without causing any problems whatsoever. He has never acted in the way which he did on that day before.

“It was a moment of madness borne out through a developing situation with his neighbour.

“They initially tried to deal with it in the correct manner – letters and complaints that had been sent – but when that didn’t work they took matters into their own hands in a completely inappropriate manner.”

Judge Fuller said he accepted neither the Denyers had intended to do serious harm to their neighbor.

He sentenced Mr Denyer to 10 months in prison suspended for a year and 130 hours of unpaid work and Mrs Denyer to a six month suspended sentence with 100 hours of unpaid work.

He told them: “You are of previous good character, you had gone to Hillbury Park for the tranquility and had no doubt led blameless and hardworking lives up until this particular point.

“This was clearly out of temper and frustration at the intolerable noises coming yet again from your neighbour’s garden.”