A NURSE has described how she found the alleged victim of Worcester financial adviser Peter Crittenden with her nose squashed to one side.

Catherine Dawson told a jury how she accompanied the police and paramedics to find the body of a 71-year-old woman in her bungalow in Macclesfield.

She was giving evidence at the Chester Crown Court trial of Crittenden, aged 64, of Beech Avenue, Barbourne, Worcester.

Crittenden was compared to Coronation Street villain Richard Hillman by prosecuting barrister Lord Alex Carlile QC on the opening day of the case.

He has denied murdering Joan Beddeson, of Rayleigh Close, Macclesfield, by smothering her in her bed after she asked him for money back after handing over £270,000.

Mrs Dawson, giving evidence yesterday described the scene as she followed police and paramedics into the bungalow.

She said: "I saw her legs first, with blood on the floor."

Mrs Dawson said the alarm was raised because she had called three times at Miss Beddeson's bungalow on November 16 with no reply.

Mrs Dawson said: "Her hands were tightly closed like a fist. She looked angry. Her face was screwed up.

"Her nose was squashed to one side where the pillow was. It looked like she had been struggling.

"The pillow was on her head and for her nose to be squashed like that, you would have to use force on the

pillow.

"It looked as though she was trying to get out of bed because her feet were on the floor."

The trial is set to continue on Monday.