A FARM worker has been jailed for life after he bludgeoned a friend of 20 years to death in a savage revenge attack.

Keith Walmsley, 38, of Jeffrey Avenue, Longridge, battered Peter Metcalfe, of Beech Drive, Longridge, as he lay sleeping beside his wife.

The beating was so brutal that his injuries resembled those of a road crash victim.

The attack came after a weekend drinking session in a pub in Kent where Mr Metcalfe, 43, and Walmsley were working as hop pickers. They had travelled for the hop-picking season last September.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how a fight in the pub between Mr Metcalfe and Walmsley broke out into a general melee which ended with Mr Metcalfe knocking Walmsley to the floor.

Although the situation calmed down once the two men returned to their digs at the farm, the next morning Walmsley took a piece of wood and battered Mr Metcalfe to death as he slept. The murder weapon was then thrown into a bonfire.

Walmsley denied murdering Mr Metcalfe but was found guilty by a jury who took less than an hour to convict him.

Michael Austin-Smith QC, prosecuting, said Walmsley had wanted revenge on Mr Metcalfe for hitting him.

He said Walmsley had spoken to his wife on the morning of the murder and told her: "He is going to wake up with a stinging face like I had."

Mr Metcalfe's widow Yvonne, 42, has three children; Jessica, 19, Kerry, 17, and Ben, 11.

She said: "It's been an awful time especially for the kids. They really miss him especially our son; we all do.

"Now the case is over we can all try to get back to normal. For the past few months I've really been dreading the court case but justice has now been done.

"It was the correct sentence for what he did."