A SHOPKEEPER died from an appalling catalogue of injuries when he tried to stop a petty thief.

Stephen Postlethwaite, a devoted husband and father of two sons, was dragged for 400 yards underneath a speeding van as the crook tried to escape.

Passers by and other drivers watched in horror as Mr Postlethwaite, screaming in pain, clung on to the van's bumper.

The crook, 47 year old Keith Edgar, ignored shoppers who shouted and pointed to the helpless Mr Postelthwaite and even carried on speeding away as a motorist flashed his lights to warn him.

Eventually Mr Postlethwaite's broken body was "spat out" from under the van which was then driven off reaching speeds of 70 mph, said Henry Globe QC, prosecuting at Manchester Crown Court.

The victim was rushed to hospital but had suffered numerous fractures to the skull, ribs, pelvis, right leg and an arm and he died five days later.

By then, Edgar, of Bowness Road, Middleton, had given himself up to police and on Tuesday this week he started a 10 year jail term when he admitted a charge of manslaughter.

Family and friends of the victim sat weeping in court as the horrific details of Mr Postlethwaite's death were outlined by the Crown.

Mr Globe also revealed extracts from an impact statement made by the victim's distraught widow, Kathryn, who said the whole family felt "an enormous emotional loss" from the tragedy, which had affected their lives forever. The 40-year-old shopkeeper was a keen rugby and football fan and Mr Globe said he also had "immense reserves, inner strength and courage".

He set up his own business, The Hire Shop on Church Road, Urmston, about 15 years ago and on the day of the tragedy was at work when a gang of men decided to steal £1,000 worth of machinery from the forecourt.

Mr Postlethwaite ran from the shop and tried to stop the getaway van, driven by Edgar, but it smashed into him and sped off as he clung on to the bonnet with most of his body underneath the vehicle.

Mr Globe said Edgar accepted knowing somebody was under the van, but "for his own reasons" decided to ignore the warnings of passers by and drove on.

Davd Lane QC, defending, said Edgar, who had a string of convictions for petty crime, was to be paid just £30 forTR driving the van and was "deeply remorseful" for what happened.

He never intended to kill the victim or seriously hurt him and panicked when others in the van told him to carry on driving.

Judge Simon Fawcus told Edgar that he had killed a man for the sake of £1,000 worth of machinery or for a £30 reward.

"Mr Postlethwaite was loved and respected by all and had immense courage in trying to prevent you from getting away with his property. But you had no courage at all.

"No-one could fail to be moved when reading the impact statement of Mrs Postlethwaite and no sentence I can pass may in any way recompense their loss."