A THIRD man has appeared at court in connection with the murder of Radcliffe man, Martin Rankin.

Ashley Marshall, aged 18, of Glenvale Close, Radcliffe, appeared before magistrates in Bury charged with murder following the death of Mr Rankin on December 31.

Mr Rankin, aged 37, also of Glenvale Close, was attacked while asleep in bed on Christmas Eve. He suffered a substantial wound to the head and later died at Fairfield Hospital on New Years Eve.

Marshall, will now appear alongside Lee Jones, aged 20, of Walker Street, and Babar Hussain, aged 27, of Cornwall Drive, both in Bury, at Manchester Crown Court on Friday.