PETER Balcombe told Bristol Crown Court this afternoon that after seeing his wife lying on the floor he touched or tapped her face.

There was no response he said in answer to question from prosecuting counsel Neil Ford.

Balcombe, from Pewsey who denies murdering his wife, Eunice said: "I panicked and made myself a cup of coffee," said Balcombe, adding that he did not know if his wife was dead or alive.

Mr Ford said: "You assumed she was acting?"

Balcombe replied: "Yes."

The barrister asked Balcombe if he had expected his wife to jump up and run next door to neighbour and best friend Cheryl Tapper.

"That is what I was expecting her to do," said Balcombe.

Mr Ford said: "You did not think to try to help her?"

Balcombe said: "I was frightened for myself."

Mr Ford: "It was self preservation that began to kick in, wasn't it?

"What did you think Eunice's state was when she was still on the floor?"

Balcombe said: "I was thinking more of the children than anybody else."

Balcombe said there was nothing he could have done to help his wife and he did not think to call an ambulance or run next door for help.

Mr Ford said: "You were thinking about yourself and the trouble you were in."

Balcombe told the court that he tried to make his wife look presentable for the police enquiry he knew would follow and the necessary photograph.

He took off her jacket that had become covered with mucous and put it in the washing machine and moved the body "to make it more presentable" for people to see.

He wiped his wife's face with kitchen roll and removed her necklace so that it could be given to the oldest child, Maddison.

Balcombe denied telling Christine, the daughter from his first marriage, the night before his wife died that he intended killing her by driving into a tree.

Mr Ford asked: "You are saying that what happened in layman's terms was a horrible accident?"

Balcombe replied; "Yes."

Balcombe told the court he and his wife had intended taking over The Royal Oak pub in Pewsey. They were going to invest £35,000 in a tenancy agreement.

He ended his evidence by confirming that he stood by the comment he had made to police: "I just wanted her to apologise, say she was sorry, lets work it out. But it didn't happen so I grabbed her, loving her to pieces and we have fallen down and she is dead."

The case continues on Monday.