A milkman told a murder trial today how he was arrested and held in custody for 36 hours on suspicion of killing 86-year-old Jean Barnes.

Lewes Crown Court heard how John Gosling, 30, regularly delivered milk to Miss Barnes' home in Tennyson Road, Worthing.

He said he had never met or been inside the large semi detached house and only communicated with Miss Barnes by notes and cheques left out for bill payments.

Mr Gosling was appearing under a witness summons to give evidence for the prosecution.

David Munley, 56, of Byron Road, Worthing is on trial for the murder of Miss barnes. He denies the murder charge and nine counts of burglary and five of forgery.

It is alleged Munley stole antiques from the deceased before and after allegedly killing her.

Lewes Crown Court was told John Gosling's father was also arrested and held in custody for questioning by police.

Both have now been told they are not needed for further questioning.

Mr John Gosling, questioned by Jeremy Gompertz QC for the prosecution, said that he delivered milk to Miss Barnes between 3 and 4am in the mornings. She always left a cheque for the bills.

On Tuesday July 20th, 1999 he left a pint of milk and picked up a note which said: "Dear Milkman, I am sorry I am going into hospital on Monday July 26th then I will be going into a nursing home. Please can you leave me the bill and an extra loaf."

Mr Gosling said he was surprised that she had asked for an extra wholemeal loaf because she only had one loaf a week and that was on a Friday.

On Friday Mr Gosling said he left a pint of milk and bread and inside the breadbin was a cheque for £6.30p.

On Monday July 26th he did not do his round and his father covered for part of the round.

The following day he spoke to a police officer as he delivered to the nursing home opposite and gave him the note which had been given to him the previous week as he still had it on his milkfloat.

He said he later gave two statements to the police.

On September 29th he was arrested and taken to Crawley Police Station.

Questioned by Christopher Kinch for the defence, Mr Gosling said: "As far as I was concerned I had done nothing wrong. I had given the police all the help I could."

Mr Gosling described how his clothing was taken because the police said they wanted it for DNA samples and they later searched his house.

He told Mr Kinch: "The thrust of it was they suspected me of being responsible for Miss Barnes' death."

He said he later learnt that his father had been arrested on suspicion as well as they thought it was 'a two man job'.

He said he was kept in custody overnight and released 36 hours later having been bailed to appear at a police station in December.

He admitted that he was reluctant to reappear in court and police had to serve him with a witness summons to appear again because I did not want to go to court to bring it all up again.

The trial continues.