A Royston man has pleaded guilty to attempted murder at St Albans Crown Court after an attack at Johnson Matthey involving a knife and an axe.

Peter Duffy, of Elm Walk, also pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm – which had been downgraded from a second attempted murder charge – and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon.

The attack at the Orchard Road-based firm on July 20 last year left two men hospitalised.

The 53-year-old is due to be sentenced at the same court on March 3.