A PUB regular who was barred after "mooning" at the landlady has gone on trial accused of manslaughter after getting into fight with her partner.

Colin Moore, the 21-stone landlord of the Bradford Arms in Farnworth, collapsed and died from a heart attack after an altercation with Craig Birtwistle.

A jury at Manchester Crown Court heard how 37-year-old Birtwistle had been barred from the pub on several occasions, including once when he had dropped his trousers and showed his bottom in the Buckley Lane pub as landlady Susan Kendrick was talking to her daughter via Facetime.

“Susan Kendrick was really upset because she thought Birtwistle had upset her daughter,” said Paul Reid, prosecuting.

Then, on October 18 last year Birtwistle posted, on Facebook, a photograph previously taken of Ms Kendrick dancing with a female friend at the pub and added the comment: “Just been turned down for a threesome with the landlady.”

Six days later Birtwistle’s friend and neighbour, Michael Renwick, was drinking in the pub and rang his pal. During the conversation, which was put on Mr Renwick’s phone loudspeaker Birtwistle asked if he was still barred. Mr Moore, aged 57, agreed to allow him to come back.

“Michael Renwick formed the view that Birtwistle had already been drinking. It was obvious from his voice,” said Mr Reid.

When Birtwistle arrived at the pub at Mr Moore asked to speak to him outside and the pair left via the front entrance and walked down the side of the pub to the beer garden.

A short time later bar Mr Renwick went to the toilet and overheard Birtwistle outside telling Mr Moore, “you take the first punch”.

When bar manager Adam Whitworth heard a loud bang coming from the rear of the building he went to investigate.

Mr Reid said that Mr Whitworth saw Mr Moore leaning against a wall, on one knee and trying to pull himself up. A foot away Birtwistle was standing with his fists clenched.

Birtwistle then picked up a piece of wood and hurled it at the landlord, but missed.

The court heard Mr Moore told Birtwistle he should leave. The defendant started to go but then turned round and challenged the landlord, “come on then, let’s go one on one.”

Birtwistle is said to have swung his arm and hit Mr Moore in the face with his elbow, sending him stumbling backwards into Mr Whitworth.

Birtwistle started walking off back to his home in Crescent Avenue, Farnworth, but Mr Moore was becoming unwell, rolling his eyes, being short of breath and unable to speak.

Ms Kendrick, who came out of the pub, walked over to Mr Moore and Birtwistle shouted at her: “That’s it, go to him before you get a punch like he did. I’ll knock you out as well.”

Mr Reid said that after Birtwistle left Mr Moore sat on a bench outside the pub and passed out, then stopped breathing.

Police and paramedics who arrived a short time later began trying to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead 25 minutes later at 7.07pm.

A post mortem examination conducted by pathologist Dr Michael Parsons revealed that Mr Moore had severe heart disease and was at risk of dying from a heart attack at any time.

But Mr Reid added; “In Dr Parson’s opinion the stress caused by the verbal and physical altercation precipitated the heart attack.”

Birtwistle denies the manslaughter of Mr Moore, who took over running the pub with his partner in May 2017.

The court heard Birtwistle claims he was ‘lured’ to the pub so that Mr Moore could demand he remove photographs of Ms Renwick from his phone and, in a police interview, denied he had been the aggressor.

But Mr Reid told the jury: “This is an unusual case. Colin Moore died from a heart attack brought on by Birtwistle’s aggressive and unlawful behaviour towards him.”

The trial continues.