Two men have denied killing a pensioner whose body parts were found scattered across a city.

The torso of Stuart Everett, 67, wrapped in clear plastic, was found by a passer-by on April 4, in Kersal Dale Wetlands, a nature reserve in Salford, with more remains found at other sites following a huge police search of 16 separate locations.

Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski, 68, replied, “No. No. Not guilty”, as two separate charges of murder and manslaughter were put to him as he stood in the dock at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday.

His co-accused, Marcin Majerkiewicz, 42, twice replied “I plead to not guilty” to both charges.

A Polish interpreter relayed proceedings to the defendants for the 20-minute hearing.

Both deny the murder and manslaughter of Mr Everett, with the charges stating that he was also known as Roman Ziemacki, between March 24 and April 5, this year.

A pre-trial hearing will be held on January 17 next year.

Judge John Potter remanded both defendants into custody, telling them: “You have both pleaded not guilty to the allegations on the indictment.

“Your case will therefore be adjourned for trial. The trial date remains March the third next year with a 15-day estimate. You may go down.”