A CLOSE-KNIT community is in shock after a 78-year-old man was found stabbed to death in his back garden.

The body of Nether Kellet villager Richard Hodgson, of Shaw Lane, was discovered 12 hours after he was reported missing last Thursday evening.

A 19-year-old has been charged with his murder.

Daniel Lee Rogerson, of Channel Head, Shaw Lane, Nether Kellet, has appeared before Lancaster Magistrates on Monday but entered no plea to the murder charge.

He spoke only to confirm his name and address.

No application was made for bail and Rogerson was remanded to a hospital wing at Lancaster Farms Young Offender's Institute. He will next appear on July 18 for committal to Crown Court.

Local residents joined police and the Bowland and Pennine Mountain Rescue Team in a wide-scale search for the pensioner last Thursday evening after his wife reported him missing.

Mr Hodgson was last seen going outside to do some gardening at 6.30pm. But the search was called off and a police investigation launched when his body was found in the garden on Friday morning.

The area around his home was cordoned off and a forensic team and CID descended on the uncomfortably quiet village as a police helicopter kept a constant low vigil.

A post mortem examination held on Friday evening revealed that Mr Hodgson died from stab wounds.

His family has asked for privacy to 'come to terms with the loss'.