POLICE who have already charged a Radcliffe man with killing a market trader at a Cheshire farm are trying to trace three men seen running from the scene.

Witnesses have reported seeing the men - two white and one black - running across a bridge over the M6, close to the farm in Tabley, near Knutsford.

On Thursday officers also re-appealed for a man who made the 999 call, to alert them to the incident at Burnt House Farm, to come forward.

James Stewart Raven, aged 43, of Parnham Close, Radcliffe, appeared before Macclesfield magistrates on Monday, accused of killing 43-year-old Brian Waters, from Stapeley, near Nantwich, at the farm. He is due to appear at Chester Crown Court on a later date. Mr Raven is also accused of attempted murder and indecent assault.

Detective Inspector Phil Jones, of Cheshire Police, said witnesses saw the three men close to junction 19 of the M6, soon after the incident, at about 4pm last Thursday.

He told BBC GMR "From inquiries at the scene, it would appear that these three men are probably involved in our incident, and I'm clearly very keen to trace them."

He appealed for other witnesses who saw the men to contact the investigation team in the major incident room at Congleton police station.

He also appealed to the man who alerted emergency crews to come forward, and said he has a tape recording of the call.

"If we haven't traced this person in a week or so, I will consider releasing the tape publically, to see whether anyone can help us identify them," said Mr Jones.

He said the caller is from the north of England, and could be aged in his 20s, 30s or 40s.