Two men accused of murdering a Shropshire pawnbroker by setting him alight told police he caught fire after an accident, a court has heard.

Robert Field, 22, of Etnam Street, Leominster, and Gareth Powell, 29, of The Grove, Shobdon, Leominster, both deny killing George Black, 41, of The Square, in Bucknell, by pouring petrol and kerosene over him and setting him on fire.

In a transcript of police interviews read at Worcester Crown Court yesterday, Field said the fire started following a dispute.

The court heard Field had gone to Mr Black’s house on December 8 to pay some money he owed but did not have the full amount.

Field said this made Mr Black angry. He said Mr Black had jolted a table tipping over a bottle of clear liquid, which was ignited by cigarettes Mr Black and his girlfriend Sylvia Marie Smith had been smoking.

Field and Powell said they had tried to get Smith outside to extinguish the flames on her and had taken her to a river to cool the burns.

Mr Black died in hospital of his injuries on December 10 last year. In extracts from police interviews, Field described seeing Mr Black in an upstairs room window firing a crossbow after he was set on fire.

Smith, 22, of Cherrybrook Close, Hope-under-Dinmore, Leominster, denies conspiracy to murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Her mother, Sylvia Jane Smith, 42, and her stepfather Steven Smith, 45, of the same address, deny attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The trial continues.