POLICE officers accused of manslaughter tried to resuscitate the man as he lay in police cells, a court heard.

A court in Teesside heard that Humberside officers PC Matthew Barr and Sgt John Dunn began trying to revive former paratrooper Christopher Alder when he collapsed in Queens Gardens Police Station in Hull four years' ago.

His sister Janet, from the Manchester Road area of Burnley, and other members of his family are at the Crown Court for the trial.

Medical examiner Dr Patrick Naughton-Doe said the officers did not know the latest recommended ratio of breaths to chest compressions because they changed so often but he added it was better they had tried to do something rather than nothing.

Dr Naughton-Doe said: "I'd say it's more important you are actually compressing the heart and doing some breaths. If they hadn't given mouth-to-mouth because they weren't sure that, to me, would have been an important problem."

Five officers, Sgt Dunn, PC Barr, PC Nigel Dawson, PC Neil Blakey and PC Mark Ellerington, are charged with manslaughter and all have pleaded not guilty. The also deny charges of misconduct in a public office by failing to take reasonable and proper care of Mr Alder while he was in police custody.

(Proceeding)