TWO soldiers walked free from court yesterday after being sensationally cleared of the savage murder of a black railway worker.

Private Marc Hunter, 18, and Lance Corporal David White, 23, both Green Howards from the North-East, were found not guilty at the direction of the trial judge.

However, the case against two of their colleagues from the regiment, Privates Wayne King and Thomas Myers, both 20, will continue when the court reconvenes on Monday.

The four, all stationed at Warminster, were charged with the murder of 32-year-old Glyne Agard, who was beaten to death in an early morning brawl outside a nightclub in Wiltshire.

But yesterday, Mr Hunter, from Hartlepool, and Mr White, from Stockton, were both found not guilty of the killing. They were also cleared of violent disorder and Mr Hunter was found not guilty of grievous bodily harm against the dead man's brother, Steven, and their friend, Gary Belgrave.

Prosecuting, QC John Royce told Bristol Crown Court that in relation to Mr Hunter and Mr White he had no more evidence to call. "We have come to the conclusion that the evidence against them is insufficiently strong to justify the Crown continuing the case further against them," he said.

Trial judge Mr Justice Steel then told the jury: "In these circumstances it falls to me to direct you to return a verdict of not guilty in relation to Mr Hunter and Mr White."

The trial against Privates King, from Middlesbrough, and Myers, from Hartlepool, continues. Both deny charges of murder, causing grievous bodily harm and violent disorder.

Mr Agard died from massive head injuries following a brawl in the car-park outside the Reflections night club in Westbury, Wiltshire, in the early hours of June 18 last year.