THE jury has been sent out to reach a verdict in the Rixton road rage murder trial.

Mark Slater, from Oldham, had told Chester Crown Court yesterday he only saw the top of victim Trevor Allen's head before the granddad was mowed down by Slater's 17 tonne truck on the a57 in February.

Slater said he did not feel or hear anything during the incident and only stopped when other motorists started waving and shouting at him.

Summing up the case, Ian Unsworth, prosecuting, said Slater was a 'hot head' behind the wheel who had 'lost it'.

Andrew Ogbyrne, defending, urged the jury not to 'rush to judgement' and said Mr Allen's death was an accident.

He added Slater was 'not a word smith but a man who had maintained his account' and was not an 'emotional man'.

Family members in court sobbed throughout the summing up this morning.

The jury were instructed they could return a verdict of manslaughter.