TWO men have been charged with attempted murder after an incident in a street in Irvine earlier this week.

Barry McIlroy, 42, described as a resident of Ayrshire, and 26-year-old Irvine man John Forbes are charged with attempted murder and assault to severe injury and danger of life.

They are among four men who appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Friday in connection with a disturbance in Paterson Avenue in the early hours of July 6.

A 46-year-old man was taken to Crosshouse Hospital for treatment after police were called to a report of an incident in the street at 1.50am.

Two more Irvine men - Ryan Shanks, 27, and 24-year-old Declan Forbes - also appeared in court on Friday, charged with threatening or abusive behaviour likely to cause fear or alarm, in connection with the same incident.

In addition, Declan Forbes faces a charge of breaching a condition of a bail order.

No pleas were entered by any of the four men during a private hearing on Friday.

All four were remanded in custody pending a further court appearance scheduled for later this month.

Earlier on Friday, police said they no longer believed the incident in Paterson Avenue was linked to a separate report of a disturbance a short distance away, on Caldon Road, just after 8am on Thursday.

That incident led to the arrest of two men, aged 30 and 26, and a 29-year-old woman.