A Rayleigh man has denied manslaughter in connection to the death of a seven-year-old boy who was electrocuted at a pub.

Colin Naylor, 72, of Hockley Road, Rayleigh, is accused of one count of the manslaughter of seven-year-old Harvey Tyrrell after the incident last September.

David Bearman, 71, of Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch, has also been charged with one count of manslaughter and one count of abstracting electricty.

Both men denied the charges at the Old Bailey on Wednesday and will stand trial next year on April 27, 2020 at the same court.

The men were granted conditional bail until their next appearance.

The charges relate to the death of Harvey Tyrrell, 7, who was found unresponsive at the King Harold Pub in Station Road, Romford, at 5.20pm on September 11 last year.

Police officers and paramedics rushed to the scene and tried to save him, but he was pronounced dead in hospital just over an hour later.

A special post-mortem has been carried out at St Thomas’ Hospital and the Metropolitan Police has now confirmed the cause of death was electrocution.

An online fundraising appeal set up in the wake of Harvey’s death described the youngster, who lived in Harold Wood in Romford, as a “little angel”.

It added he was “a beautiful, happy and healthy seven-year-old boy who loved his football just like any other boy his age”.

The page raised more than £25,000 to cover funeral costs with any additional money being donated to children’s charities by Harvey’s parents Danielle and Lewis.