TWO men have been jailed for life after murdering a father-of-four and dumping his body in woodland.

Darren Smith and Gareth Bishop battered their ‘friend’ Rodney Marsh to death and hid the corpse near Alderley Edge in Cheshire.

Smith was having an affair with the victim’s partner at the time of the murder.

The defendants were convicted after a trial at Chester Crown Court, and were sentenced earlier today.

During the trial, the court heard that Smith, Bishop and the victim were all petty criminals.

They travelled from their homes in Golborne, Wigan, to steal from affluent areas of Cheshire.

In February, this year, Smith and Bishop lead Mr Marsh to Alderley Edge to steal goods but when they arrived battered him to death.

He was discovered by walkers early on the morning of February 26 with fatal injuries including a shattered skull.

Judge King jailed Smith for 18 years and Bishop for 17 years.

Judge King said: "The murder involved significant planning and premeditation that involved the use of weapons and shod feet."

"It was a sustained and ferocious attack".