A MAN appeared in court today charged in connection with the death of his partner and her 10-year-old daughter on a privately-owned boat on Windermere.

Matthew Eteson, 40, of Church Road, Leyland, was charged with the manslaughter of Kelly Webster, 36, and her daughter Lauren Thornton, both from the Lancashire town.

They were both found unconscious on the 30ft Bayliner cruiser moored off a Bowness jetty on Easter Monday in April 2013.

After treatment by paramedics at the scene, they were airlifted by the North West Air Ambulance to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary where they both died.

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Police, along with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), began a joint investigation and a file of evidence was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.

A MAIB report, a month after the incident, concluded that they had both died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Eteson entered no plea when he appeared at South Lakeland Magistrates’ Court today (Wednesday).

He spoke only to confirm his name.

The hearing was ajourned until July 7 when Eteson was bailed to appear at Carlisle Crown Court for a preliminary hearing.