An Italian ice cream man pursued his older rival in his van and then punched him through the driver's window in a turf war over 'stealing' customers from a new housing development. The row broke out between Andrea Trunfio, 36, and Mario Bretti, 64, after the former allegedly tried to muscle in on Mr Bretti's patch. A court heard how the pair clashed as they drove their vans away from the site on a scorching day in July last year. Mr Bretti said his competitor chased him along a busy road before cutting him off at a junction and blocking him with his van. He then got out and threw a flurry of punches at the 64-year-old through the driver's window. Pursued: Mr Bretti, 64, was chased by his younger rival Andrea Trunfio over an argument over a disputed site . The incident took place around the new Ridgeway Farm housing development on July 22 last year, when temperatures reached 25 degrees during a spell of sunny weather. Describing what happened, Mr Bretti said: 'I have been doing this for 45 years, since I was just 18 years old. On July 22, I got beaten up by another ice cream man. 'He decided to follow me on Thamesdown Drive in the middle of the road. He was going fast through the traffic lights, and when they went red I had to stop. He blocked me with his van so I couldn’t get away. 'He came up to the van and punching me threatened to kill me, saying he had claimed the building site as his area. 'I was selling there because Sparcells is my area. He was very aggressive and started punching me several times and said he would come to my home. In the end I drove away to get away from him.' Mr Bretti said he felt very dizzy and frightened after the altercation and went straight to the police station, while Trunfio did a U-turn and sped off. Dispute: Mr Bretti said he felt very dizzy and frightened after the altercation and went straight to the police . Trunfio denied common assault and claimed Mr Bretti had threatened to kill his family and burn his van if he went back to the disputed site. Speaking through an intepreter, he claimed he had seen Mr Bretti at the site that day and his older rival had beckoned him to follow afterwards. He said when they pulled up at the traffic lights, Mr Bretti grabbed his arm before rolling up the window to trap it. He also told the court had sold ice creams in Swindon for ten years and had been at the housing development for two or three months before the incident. He also claimed there had been prior arrangements which meant Mr Bretti would no longer sell at the building site. Trunfio, from Swindon, told the magistrates' court in Chippenham, Wiltshire: 'In our community, usually each person has an area. There is no law to say you can't go to certain places. 'I am not a violent person, but when you have an agreement and someone breaks it, it is like you are being taken for a ride. 'I am an easy person and do not argue with people. If I had hit him it would have been like hitting my own father.' Disputed site: The two ice cream men argued about who had ownership of the new Ridgeway Farm housing development (pictured above), in Swindon . Blocked: Mr Bretti was stopped on his way out of the housing development by Trunfio, who then hit him . But witnesses to the incident said Trunfio got out and attacked his older rival after driving madly after him. Sarah Miller, who saw the confrontation from her car, said: 'I saw him (Trunfio) getting out and coming to the one at the back. 'He didn't look particularly angry until he tried to open the door of the second van. 'He was jumping up and down and trying to go after the other ice cream man. I could see his fists going in and out of the window. 'He got back into his van and carried on shouting through his serving hatch.' She added: 'I was quite shocked, and very disappointed. I thought if my children had seen that they would have been scared to go to an ice cream van again.' Magistrates found Trunfio guilty and he was given a 12-month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work and £650 costs and ordered to pay £75 compensation to Mr Bretti.
Row broke out between Andrea Trunfio, 36, and Mario Bretti, 64, last July . Argument was over ownership of a new housing development in Wiltshire . Mr Bretti said rival cut him off and then punched him through window . Trunfio was handed a 12 month community order at magistrates' court .