A police officer who was struck by a pint glass at a Southmead pub could eventually lose the sight in one eye, a court heard.

Bristol Crown Court yesterday heard medical evidence from an eye expert who said there was a risk PC Henrietta Staveley-Brown could eventually suffer a detached retina as a result of the devastating injury.

Richard Markham, consultant surgeon at Bristol Eye Hospital, said there was a "good chance" there wouldn't be any long-term damage to the officer's left eye after it was struck by a flying glass at the Wayfarer pub on February 7.

But Mr Markham said PC Staveley-Brown had recently complained of seeing black spots in her vision and added there was a risk of "retinal detachment later, which could lead to a loss of vision".

Yesterday, PC Staveley-Brown took to the witness box.

The jury heard her describe the moment she was struck by the glass as like being hit with "a lump of concrete or a baseball bat".

She told the jury she and two colleagues had been sent to the pub in Pen Park Road to break up a fight at 11pm, but when they arrived it appeared the disturbance had ended.

PC Staveley-Brown, a police officer of 16 years based at Southmead police station, said she had only walked four or five steps towards the bar to speak to the landlord of the pub when she suffered the blow.

She said: "I heard a whooshing noise coming towards me for a few milliseconds and then it felt like a lump of concrete or a baseball bat. I've never felt anything like it before.

"It knocked me off my feet but I don't remember falling or hitting the floor.

"The next thing I remember is being on my knees with my head in my hands. I knew there was no one either side of me who could have hit me."

PC Staveley-Brown, known as Hen, said she then remembers losing a lot of blood, suffering from shock and being sick before she was taken to Frenchay Hospital for treatment.

Crown Prosecutor Ian Fenny read evidence from Dr Julian Blackburn, a specialist registrar in emergency medicine at Frenchay Hospital who treated the officer.

Dr Blackburn said PC Staveley-Brown had suffered a deep 13cm cut to her face from the bridge of her nose into her forehead, another laceration on the left side of her eyebrow and had fractures in her nose and eye socket.

Damien Gordon, 28, of Lockleaze, denies causing grievous bodily harm with intent to 40-year-old PC Staveley-Brown by hurling the pint glass at her. He also denies battery against PC Oomesh Danhawoor, who was transporting him to the station after his arrest.

The case continues.