THREE friends have been convicted of murdering a man they ambushed and stabbed to death with a sword.

Nathaniel Clarke-Collins (19), John Watt (22) and Stephen Goodwin (22) will be sentenced on Wednesday at Manchester Crown Court by Judge Clement Goldstone.

A fourth man, Martin Nicholl (33), of Hurst Street, Bury, was cleared of murder but convicted of assaulting the victim, 20-year-old Richard Meakin, of Bye Road, Shuttleworth.

He will also be dealt with on Wednesday when Clarke-Collins, of Moyse Avenue, Bury; Watt, of Square Street, Ramsbottom, and Goodwin, of Bright Street, Radcliffe, will be in the dock.

During the 23-day trial, the prosecution said the attack on Mr Meakin in Rostron Road, Ramsbottom, was in revenge for an assault on Watt a few days earlier.

The defendants had denied murder, but Charles Garside, prosecuting, alleged all four, acting together, attacked and killed Meakin.

He said the motive for the attack was revenge. A feud had developed between Watt and the dead man, his brother and one of their friends.

They knew he was at a house in Rostron Road on August 22 and ambushed him when he emerged. The victim was kicked about the head and body and stabbed eight times with the sword.

He died in Bury's Fairfield Hospital from blood loss a few hours later. One wound severed an artery in his thigh.

The jury of seven women and five men spent more than 16 hours considering their verdicts.

Speaking after the verdicts were returned, Mr Meakin's mother, Sheila, said: "For anyone to return from their summer vacation and be informed at the airport that their son is dead would be horrific, but to be told he had been attacked and murdered is unthinkable."

Richard had three sisters, Charlotte (24), Gabrielle (11) and Sophia (5), and a brother, Michael (22). He had a girlfriend of two years Holly and their daughter Codie, aged 18 months.

Sheila continued: "Richard was no angel but he was our son, our children's brother, Codie's father and Holly's partner and did not deserve to die.

"We loved him unconditionally and that love will always remain with us along with the pain and hurt of this loss. Our lives will go on but will never be the same.

"There has been a great deal of speculation about the justification for this attack, but there is no justification for killing someone and for those individuals who think there is, then maybe they should feel the pain of loss and ask themselves again if death is justified.

"I praythe young people of Ramsbottom stop their misguided divided attitude and learn to live together with tolerance and respect for each other.

"On June 9 Richard would have been celebrating his 21st birthday. All we can do for him now is put flowers on his grave."

The detective who led the investigation into the murder, described the attack on Mr Meakin as "horrendous" and said that the injuries he suffered were some of the worst he had seen.

Detective Inspector Bill Beddows said: "Richard's death has left his family, friends and girlfriend totally devastated, and his young daughter will now have to grow up without a dad.

"Richard received multiple stab wounds as he lay defenceless on the floor, pleading for help. But his cries were ignored and the attack continued until he was unable to be saved by paramedics."