A COUPLE told a jury how a walk on a 'nice evening' ended up with them witnessessing an alleged murder.

The pair, giving evidence to a murder trial, described how they were alerted by a young woman's screams to something taking place across from them.

The woman, Tracey Hutton, described a young man kicking out "with some welly". Her husband, Peter Hutton, said it was like a footballer taking a free kick.

Preston Crown Court has heard that both later failed to identify anyone when shown a DVD style ID parade by police.

Matthew McKay, 20, of Hollinbridge Street, Blackburn, denies a charge of murdering forty-years-old John Crabtree between September 12 and 14 last year.

Both he and the deceased have been described as heavy drinkers.

The defendant at that time was staying at the Nightsafe shelter in Blackburn.

The Crown allege that McKay kicked and jumped on Mr Crabtree by the side of the canal, not far from the Moorings pub. He died on September 13 from a head injury.

On the second day of the trial, Mrs Hutton said she and her husband had seen a "scruffy" person across the canal staggering in the direction of the Moorings pub. Later, they saw three different people on the canal tow path - two men and a girl.

The first male was well built, like he was someone who worked out. He was wearing a white T shirt. A second man was wearing a darker T shirt.

Mrs Hutton told the court she heard a "tormented scream" from the girl and then saw the man in the white T shirt kicking something "with some welly".

"He wasn't holding back," she said.

Mr Hutton said: "The man in the white T shirt grabbed at the galvanised railings and then proceeded to jump up and down. It was like someone on a trampoline, raising as high as they can to get momentum.

Proceeding