ONE of the men jailed for life for murdering teenager Louise Evans in a Burnley park has lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Anthony Wood, 21, is serving a life sentence after a jury found him guilty of planning and encouraging the 19 year-old’s brutal murder, which was carried out by his accomplice Matthew Maw, 19, last July.

Wood was convicted on the basis of joint enterprise, with the prosecution accepting he did not inflict any physical injuries.

Family and friends of the former Alder Grange Community and Technology School pupil, who grew up in Rossendale, have set up a campaign group called FAWN (Free Anthony Wood Now), aimed at raising awareness about the case and garnering support.

The campaign is being spearheaded by two of Wood’s great-aunties, Dorothy McQuade and Florence Farrar, along with Gillian Phillips, who is the mother of one of his close friends and had previously employed him as an administrator.

Mrs Phillips said Wood had been granted leave for appeal by a judge after proceedings were put into motion earlier this year.

His supporters are now awaiting a date for the case to be heard in London’s Court of Appeal in the next few months.

Mrs Phillips, of Dunnockshaw, near Burnley, said: “Anthony's appeal is a full hearing in terms of appeal of conviction and sentence.

“We are doing this because we believe Anthony is innocent and that there has been a miscarriage of justice.

“He has been charged jointly of murder even though the police and prosecution are fully aware Anthony did not physically harm Louise in any way.

“We are hoping for a re-trial after the next hearing so we can prove his innocence.”

Louise, a former Accrington and Rossendale College student, died after being repeatedly stabbed with a knife and beaten with a large piece of wood in a secluded wooded area behind Towneley Hall.

She was stabbed so severely that the blade of the knife snapped off and became embedded in her chest.

Throughout the two week trial at Preston Crown Court last December it was accepted that Wood did not carry out the attack.

But following more than nine hours of deliberation, a jury found him guilty of murder on the basis of joint enterprise.

Wood was told he would serve a minimum of 23 years in prison and Maw at least 18 years.

Louise, Wood and Maw, were living at the Elizabeth Street Project hostel, Burnley, at the time she was murdered.

They were part of a group that had gone to Towneley Park to stay out for the night on July 20 last year along with other residents at the hostel.

Wood admitted in court that he had argued with the victim early in the evening after he refused to buy alcohol for her.

He told the court that when they returned to the hostel at around 11pm, he packed two knives in his bag, including the one that was later used to stab Louise.

However, he said he took the knife to cut up food he had taken.

Witnesses told the court Wood said he wanted to kill Louise because she was ‘doing his head in’ by ‘bouncing around’ and being loud.

After Louise was killed Maw was arrested at his father’s house while Wood was caught by officers when he returned to the hostel.

Louise lived in Colne with her adoptive parents, Loraine and Jeff, and attended Park High School until she was 14.

She then moved to Rossendale to live with a foster family and attended Haslingden High School before moving to the Elizabeth Street Project hostel, in Burnley.

Wood had been at Preston Prison but was recently moved to Gartree, Leicestershire, his family said.

As part of their campaign they have also set up a website www.freeanthonywoodnow.com.

Yesterday, Louise’s adoptive family said they did not want to comment on Wood’s appeal.