A MOTHER-of-three died in 'an incredible mishap' when she was hit by a shard of glass from a bottle thrown by a family friend.

Neil McNulty, who was out celebrating his 19th birthday, threw the bottle towards a pub doorman but it smashed against a pillar and flying glass severed Emma O'Kane's carotid artery and jugular vein.

Emma, 27, a mother of three who used to work as a barmaid at the pub in Heywood, near Rochdale, with her boyfriend who, ironically, was also celebrating his birthday.

She collapsed in a pool of blood and died later despite the efforts of hospital staff to save her life.

McNulty was later arrested and admitted he had known Emma and her family since he was a child and had grown up with her sister.

He told police he was 'deeply upset and devastated' that his actions may have caused the death of someone he knew.

Now McNulty - who had no previous convictions - is awaiting sentence after pleading guilty at Manchester Crown Court to the manslaughter of Emma who had three children, Reece, aged six, Jack, two and one-year-old Ellie-Mai.

His plea of not guilty to murder was accepted by the Crown after Mr David Steer QC, prosecuting told the court that Emma's death was 'both tragic and unpredictable'.

Mr Steer said it was accepted there was no intention to kill and the plea to manslaughter was accepted after considering the case with Emma's family, the police and senior members of the CPS.

Mr Steer said: "We have weighed in the balance the overall demeanour of the defendant, the level of violence before throwing the bottle, the fact he never attempted to use the bottle as a weapon prior to throwing it and, moreover, he did not break it before throwing it."

He said the odds of Emma suffering the injuries in the way she did were 'heavily stacked' and the reasons behind the Crown's decision had been explained to her parents and her partner, who tried desperately to help when she was injured.

McNulty, of Peel Lane, Heywood, was remanded in custody until April 7 but Judge Michael Henshell warned him the 'inevitable' sentence would be custodial one.

The judge had heard how Emma was tragically killed while out with her boyfriend, Michael Shepherd who was celebrating his 38th birthday.

They were in the Queen Anne Hotel, on Market Street, Heywood in the early hours of December 27 when a man who was injured and bleeding was turned away from the pub by a doorman.

McNulty then joined in the incident and eventually the bar manager and two doormen went outside.

McNulty started shouting threats before stepping back into the road and throwing a bottle.

One of the doormen standing next to the open door ducked and the bottle flew passed him, smashed against a pillar and a piece of broken glass hit Emma in the neck.

After Emma's death her heartbroken boyfriend described her as 'an angel' and said they planned to get married next year. "I can't believe she's gone", said Mr Shepherd.

"Something like this just doesn't happen to someone like her. He has taken away a wonderful woman.

"She was the love of my life and kind hearted. She really was an angel and now my soul mate's been taken away I wonder what we're all going to do without her."