BEN STOKES has been found not guilty of affray after a fight on a night out

The jury has retired to consider its verdicts in the trial of the England cricketer who was accused of knocking two men unconscious outside a nightclub.

Mr Stokes, 27, and Ryan Ali, 28, denied affray at Bristol Crown Court.

He said he was defending gay men who were being verbally abused by other men. 

Mr Stokes said he was acting in self-defence when he punched Mr Ali and Ryan Hale, 27, during the fracas in Bristol last year.

But Mr Ali argued the cricketer needed restraining to protect Mr Hale.

This is a developing story.

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