THE husband of Bolton-born costume designer Elizabeth Sherlock told an Old Bailey jury of the last moments he saw her alive.

Peter Sherlock said he was unaware that his wife was giving chase to a couple accused of snatching her handbag.

He was left looking after the suitcases at Euston train station when he thought his wife went to seek help.

A passer-by broke the news that his wife had been involved in an accident.

Mr Sherlock told the court: "Liz was in the road surrounded by lots of paramedics, police and fire staff.

"They said she was conscious. They said if I was there I would be upsetting her. I was told to go to the fire station where I would be looked after."

Mr Sherlock, aged 48, was giving evidence on the second day of the trial of a man and woman accused of murdering his 42-year-old wife as they made off in a getaway car with her handbag.

She had jumped on the bonnet trying to stop them but went under the car and was "knocked about like a rag doll", the prosecution has told the jury.

Mrs Sherlock, married for six years, died of multiple injuries.

Mark Woolley, aged 36, from Pentonville, and Jackie Moorhouse, aged 24, from West Hampstead, both north London, deny murdering Mrs Sherlock on April 16 this year.

Woolley has admitted manslaughter, but denies theft of a shoulder bag. Moorhouse denies manslaughter.

Mr Sherlock said he and his wife had gone for a coffee while waiting for a train at Euston station on Easter Monday.

He noticed a woman sitting at a table next to theirs, apparently not eating or drinking anything.

His wife had taken out her new mobile phone, then returned it to her bag and put it on the floor beside her, he said.

Mr Sherlock said: "Liz just said my bag has gone. I was not aware of her rushing off. I was just aware of her getting up and going out the way we came in."

"When my wife got up the woman was not in sight. I thought she would go outside and not see anyone and then come back.

"I stayed guarding the suitcases."

He had no idea she had given chase until she failed to return.

He added: "I became concerned. I walked out on the concourse and puzzled about what to do. Eventually, someone came in through the back of the cafe. Then he told me there had been an accident."

The couple were at Euston because they were travelling to Bolton for her father's birthday.

Mrs Sherlock's parents continue to live in Lostock.

The couple decided to take the train to avoid congested Bank Holiday roads, the court heard.

Mr Sherlock described his wife to the jury as being 5ft 2ins tall and "a little overweight -- size 12".

Eye witness Mrs Euphemia Brown said she saw two women running from the station. The one in front was holding a bag and the one behind screaming "Stop. Stop her somebody".

She added: "The woman with the bag got into the car. As soon as she did the one behind just jumped on to the bonnet and the car drove away.

"She held on to the windscreen wipers. She was banging on the windscreen and bonnet and screaming. Her whole body was on the bonnet. Her foot hung over the side."

Mrs Brown said that as the car drove off she cried out: "Help. Someone help her or she is going to die."

Mrs Brown said she then saw Mrs Sherlock fall from the car. The car then drove over her.

She added: "It happened so fast I was thinking 'I do not believe it'. I started to scream."

Proceeding