VINELAND -- A dispute over a pushcart escalated into a bloody battle when two men engaged in a "sword fight" using two-by-fours inside Home Depot, police said.

One of the combatants required hospital treatment after the fight, which broke out around 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Cumberland Mall store.

Larry Bostic, 52, of West Park Avenue received eight stitches in his chin, police said. One of his teeth was knocked out and another tooth was cracked.

Police arrested Bostic and Wei Sun, 45, of Upper Darby, Pa., on assault charges.

Bostic told police he asked a Home Depot employee for a pushcart so that he could load some two-by-fours. The employee told him to take a cart that contained some wallboard because it had been in an aisle for a while, according to police.

As Bostic began to load his lumber, however, Sun appeared and demanded the cart back, police said. Witnesses said both men then swung their fists at each other but missed.

Then each grabbed a two-by-four and began a sword fight, police said. It ended when Sun threw his wooden board at Bostic, hitting him in the chin, witnesses told police.

Sun explained that he threw the two-by-four at Bostic because the Vineland man had struck him in the face with his fist and yelled an obscenity after Sun demanded the cart, police said.

Both suspects were released on summonses pending court action.