A MAN accused of using a baseball bat to bludgeon his uncle to death was accused yesterday of telling "fairy stories" to a court.

Simon Tannahill, 20, has denied murdering 53-year-old George Button.

At Newcastle Crown Court, Toby Hedworth, cross examining, accused Mr Tannahill of "lying through his teeth" to the court.

The prosecution alleges that Mr Button was murdered by Mr Tannahill, his wife's nephew, on March 3.

It is claimed Mr Tannahill, 20, was besotted with Christina Button, 32, and the pair colluded in the killing.

The court has heard Mrs Button was set to get nearly £500,000 from life insurance policies.

Mrs Button, of St Mary's Drive, West Rainton, near Durham, also denies murder.

Mr Tannahill told jurors he was shocked to hear his uncle had been killed.

The court heard that in the days following his uncle's death, Mr Tannahill burned a bag of rubbish at a disused railway line.

He said: "It was a bag of rubbish from the kitchen bin. I thought it was old paperwork and household rubbish. I took it away because Christina was very apprehensive about the Press going through the rubbish.

"I had not had any dealings with the Press, so I was not sure what they would get up to."

Mr Tannahill told the court he had moved in with Mr and Mrs Button because he was unhappy with the foul language used at his own family's home.

But the court heard how he had sent his aunt a text message featuring sexually explicit terms and swear words.

The case continues.