A MILLIONAIRE businessman claimed his estranged wife went "off like a flaming rocket" before he fatally stabbed her, a court has heard.

Ian Workman, aged 58, denies murdering Susan Workman, his wife of 34 years, at her Nursery Fold Plantation Road home in Tockholes on April 7.

The couple had three sons together.

He had called at the home unannounced in the morning to collect some clothes.

Mrs Workman received a single stab wound to the chest from a carving knife and was pronounced dead at the scene.

At Preston Crown Court yesterday, Workman's police interviews were played to the jury of seven women and five men.

He said: "I say to her 'carry on like this there will be nothing left for us'. She goes off like a flaming rocket, like a volcano. I have never seen her like that."

Workman, of Vale Street, Turton, claims his wife came at him with the knife which had an eight inch blade.

He claims to have used his knowledge of martial arts to protect himself by standing behind her and placing his arm around her neck.

She was stabbed during his manoeuvre.

Workman added: "She went down on her knees then flat on her face. I just can't believe it. I am not sure what happened then I saw the knife and there was blood on it.”

He called an ambulance and police and said the wait felt like forever as he saw them accidentally drive past the house several times.

Workman claims he tried to resuscitate Mrs Workman, aged 55, by following instructions from the 999 operator.

The case continues.

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