A WOMAN has been charged in connection with the alleged murder of her stepfather.

Dawn Pinches, 37, has been charged with assisting an offender following the death of John Russell, who was allegedly stabbed to death at his Narvik Avenue home in Burnley in December.

Pinches, of Hawthorne Road, Burnley, was arrested on Monday, appeared before Burnley magistrates yesterday and was granted conditional bail.

She was originally arrested and questioned shortly after Mr Russell's death but was released on police bail.

Her partner Adrian Howker, also of Hawthorne Road, Burnley, was charged with murdering the 63-year-old and is due to appear at Preston Crown Court on March 17, for a plea and directions hearing.

Disabled grandad Mr Russell, known as Gipsy John, was discovered with multiple stab wounds at the home he shared with wife Lesley on December 16.

His almost-new black Vauxhall Meriva was found bloodstained in the secluded Thursden Valley, more than 10 miles away from his home, with its engine running and lights on.

Police discovered Mr Russell's body when they called at the three-bedroomed Calico Housing bungalow, where he had lived with Lesley since 1982, to investigate the theft of his car.

A post-mortem examination found he had been stabbed to death with a five-inch blade.