Key witnesses who are backing the claims of a Black Country man charged with murdering his girlfriend will appear before a court hearing in Crete.

Defence witnesses in the case of holiday worker Luke Walker are due at a preliminary court hearing on the Greek island tomorrow.

His father, Patrick Walker, said the 22-year-old would not be there but witnesses, he says courts refused to hear previously, will be.

Ex-Thorns Community College pupil Walker, of Brierley Hill, is accused of  murdering Chelsea Hyndman, 21, whom he had been dating for three years.

She died from ruptured internal organs, which doctors said were caused by physical violence. Walker was charged on Thursday and refused bail.

Relatives confirmed Walker has written a letter to his dead girlfriend which will be placed in her coffin.

Patrick Walker said the body of Miss Hyndman, of West Yorkshire, was returned to the UK for a second post mortem.

He saw his son on Friday when the family was allowed 20 minutes to speak to him over the phone separated by a glass partition. Mr Walker, who runs Brierley Hill based Walker’s Electrics, said his son called him yesterday and was “very very low.”

“He can’t get over the loss of Chelsea and can’t grieve for her, ” he added.