TWO murder inquiries are under way in Wyre Forest after two men died following unrelated incidents outside town pubs in the space of six days.

Stuart Heath, 27, of Bridge Street, Stourport, appeared before Kidderminster magistrates on Monday charged with killing Philip Richard Green.

Mr Green, a 46-year-old brickwork operative at Baggeridge Brick in Hartlebury, was discovered by police officers, just after midnight last Thursday in the car park of Stourport's Bird in Hand pub, in Holly Road.

An inquest into the death of Mr Green, of The Gilgal, Stouport, was opened and adjourned at Stourport Coroner's Court on Tuesday.

Coroner, Victor Round said Mr Green, who was single, had suffered a blunt force head injury and died at 1.55am at Worcester-shire Royal Hospital on Friday.

Mr Heath is next due to appear at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a 28-year-old Kidderminster man made a two-minute appearance at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday on a murder charge relating to a separate incident.

Gavin Tilling, of Walton Close, Birchen Coppice, is accused of murdering 44-year-old Martin Yarranton on Saturday, June 10.

Miss Suzanne Llewellyn, prosecuting, asked for an eight-week adjournment.

More witness statements had to be taken, she said, and several items sent for forensic analysis and toxicology tests.

Judge David McEvoy QC ordered the prosecution to serve papers by August 22 and the case to come before the court for plea on September 25.

An inquest opened on Tuesday into the death of Mr Yarranton, of Broom Crescent, Comberton, Kidderminster, who was found collapsed outside the Wren's Nest public house in Stourport Road, Kidderminster, at around 9.15pm on June 10.

He died at Worcestershire Royal Hospital the following day after suffering a sub-arachnoid haemorrage - bleeding inside the head.