BLACKPOOL South MP Gordon Marsden has asked the Lord Chancellor to intervene concerning two men accused of murder who have been granted bail while awaiting trial.

Mr Marsden, pictured here, revealed to The Citizen that the families of the two dead men had contacted him because they were concerned at the decisions.

Murder trial No 1 concerns the death of Joseph Neish, of Barrowdale Row, Mereside, Blackpool, a 60-year-old blind man.

Mr Neish died after a stabbing incident in Bispham in August.

Accused of his murder is Paul Lindsay, 24, window, fitter, of Gordon Street, Blackpool. He was granted bail by Blackpool magistrates on October 6, a decision which was upheld following an appeal by the Crown Prosecution Service at Preston Crown Court by Mr Justice Douglas Brown on October 9.

Murder trial No 2 is that of Frankie Greer, 19, also from Blackpool, who was found stabbed to death at his Blackpool flat on July 1, although he is thought to have been killed on June 29. Charged with his murder are a 16-year-old youth who cannot be named for legal reasons, and Clifford Briggs, 18, from Denton, Manchester.

Clifford Briggs, pleaded not guilty at a hearing on September 18 at Preston Crown Court and was remanded in custody until his trial on January 2.

The 16-year-old was originally denied bail by magistrates and his appeal to Preston Crown Court was also refused. But he was then granted bail under certain conditions by Mr Justice Brown, the senior presiding judge of the Northern Circuit, sitting in chambers, despite the objections of the Crown Prosecution Service.

In his letter to Lord Irvine, the Lord Chancellor, Mr Marsden said: "You will appreciate the distress and anxiety caused to the families by such decisions.

"These sort of decisions also seem to run directly counter to the Government's strong efforts to improve the position and rights of families in these circumstances.

"I would be grateful therefore if you would give this matter your urgent attention and review the papers in this case and the judge's decisions. I would also be grateful for some explanation of why bail was granted on these occasions."