A MURDER trial has heard how a teenage boy was stabbed to death and attempts were made to set his body on fire.

Anthony Mark Wood, 32, from Elephant Lane in Thatto Heath denies murdering Jordan Campbell following a New Year's Eve Party.

Two men, Ruben Hoather, 22, and Daniel Wiltshire, 25, have pleaded guilty to murdering the 17-year-old at Hoather's flat on Tickle Avenue in Parr.

Jordan's body was discovered by firefighters the next day after thick smoke was reported as coming from the building. He had been beaten and stabbed.

Prosecutor Brian Cummings QC said: "Mattresses in each of the two bedrooms had been deliberately set fire to and there had also been an attempt to burn the body, or parts of it, by setting light to clothing dragged on top. The position of the body also indicated that it had been dragged by the feet to the point where it was found."

A post mortem revealed that the knife wound passed through his left lung and also damaged the aorta causing catastrophic bleeding.

Mr Cumming said that Jordan also had defensive injuries to his right hand.

That evening Wood was interviewed by police as a witness and claimed he had "crashed out" at the party and was woken by Hoather after smelling smoke.

However on January 3 when he discovered he was wanted in relation to the murder he handed himself in to police and admitted he lied in his initial statement.

He alleged that Hoather and Wiltshire had started punching Jordan in the face for no reason. Wood claimed he tried to protect Jordan by putting his arm around him and putting his leg out in front of him.

He said he heard a commotion in the back bedroom and found Jordan lying on his back on a mattress on the floor with the two men either kicking or stamping on his head.

Wood said he tried to stop them and attempted to pull Jordan up. He alleged that Wiltshire, from Wargrave Road in Newton-le-Willows then stabbed Jordan three times to the side of his chest. Wiltshire pulled Jordan in to another bedroom and said they must set fire to the flat, Wood claimed.

The case continues.