A HUSBAND who stabbed his cheating wife to death after 44 years of marriage has been cleared of her murder.

A jury at Liverpool Crown Court took approximately four hours to acquit James Bland of murdering his wife Carole.

The 62-year-old was found lying dead at the couple's home in Bury Road, Radcliffe, on August 1 last year after her worried lover, whom she had recently met at rock and roll sessions, raised the alarm.

When police arrived, the mother-of-three was dead on the lounge floor and her husband was lying alongside on the settee, having slashed his throat and wrists, with two knives on his chest.

She had suffered seven wounds in her body, including stab wounds in her left breast, liver and stomach, and a main blood vessel had been hit.

Bland, also aged 62, said, "I've stabbed her and I've tried to kill myself." He also said she was cheating and that she had "rubbed his face in it".

He admitted manslaughter after losing control but denied murder and the jury of seven women and five men today accepted his version of events.

In a highly unusual move, the victim's 82-year-old mother, Mary Hindley, gave evidence for Bland, describing her only daughter's behaviour to him as "wicked".

At an earlier hearing, 82-year-old Irish-born widow Mrs Hindley told how Mrs Bland was always buying things for herself.

Bland had already told the court how Mrs Bland would scream at him and nag him for money to buy items.

After her death it was found that she had 200 pairs of unworn shoes in their loft.

During the trial, the retired HGV driver told the court: "I loved Carole, that was it. I still love her."

He also said: "Carole really did bully me. I was frightened of her."

He said that after she came home from a night out with her lover they argued and she told him she hated him.

"I started hearing voices saying 'shut her up, shut her up' and I felt like I was being pushed into it. I stabbed her."

Bland was remanded in custody to await sentence on Monday.