A HUSBAND accused of murdering his wife and dumping her body in a French lake has told a court she would often "erupt in violence".

The court in Albi, south west France, has also heard that former Blackburn Council tree surgeon Robert Lund, 55, once fired a shotgun four times during a row with a neighbour.

He killed his wife so that he could take over their farmhouse and live off her life insurance, the court heard.

Lund has denied murder and has claimed that Evelyn died after driving into a lake by accident.

The 52-year-old mother-of-three was born in Rossendale but lived in Winter Hill, Darwen, before moving to France with him and the couple shared a farmhouse in the remote village of Rayssac.

Lund, 55, who lived in Anyon Street, Darwen, before meeting his wife, told the police "manifest lies" to disguise the murder as an accident, the court was told.

The badly decomposed body of Evelyn, who had been missing since December 29, 1999, was found on the back seat of her Toyota Landcruiser in a lake in France on October 13 2001.

The find was made by chance when the water level in the reservoir dropped by 30ft during a drought to allow a passing horse-rider to spot the roof of her red 4x4.

After a row with her husband about her heavy drinking on December 29, 1999, Mrs Lund fled to the house of a friend, Marianne Ramsey.

The examining magistrate at the Cour d'Assises de Tarn, Maitre Barthe, said Lund had lied when he told police that his wife did not come home after storming out on the argument.

Mrs Ramsey's husband told police that Mrs Lund was wearing glasses when she came to the house, which were later found in her handbag at the Lunds' farmhouse.

Mr Barthe said this proved that Mrs Lund, the widow of a former Burnley bank manager, returned home before her death.

"Robert Lund told manifest lies to hide the fact his wife came home on December 29," he said.

Traces of blood found on Mrs Lund's clothing and the back seat of the 4x4 showed she had died as a result of violence, the court heard.

Mr Barthe said: "Evelyn Wilkinson (Mrs Lund's maiden name) died on the night of December 29 to 30 and she died from violence - not as the result of a driving accident.

"When her body entered the water she was no longer breathing, or breathing so little that she did not inhale any water, which indicates that she had already been smothered or knocked unconscious."

He said Lund killed her before dumping her in the lake and then returning home on foot.

The Lunds' relationship had become extremely strained after they moved to France, and Mrs Lund had contacted a divorce helpline, Mr Barthe said.

During questioning today, Lund said that his wife did not adjust to life in France when they moved there in 1997, and struggled with drinking.

He said: "My wife had a bad problem with alcohol. When she had been drinking, she would sometimes erupt into violence."

He said that Evelyn found it difficult to accept that, in France, land is not private in the same way as in England and she often had problems with neighbours.

He said he returned home from a trip to Albi one day to find Evelyn in tears after arguing with a neighbour, the court was told.

Lund said that to protect her, he went to the man's house and fired his shotgun four times over the roof.

He said: "It was a stupid thing to do, but I was protecting my wife. The police came half an hour later and handcuffed me."

In court Lund admitted that he had had an affair with a neighbour in England and said he had also cheated on his first wife.

His brother, Neville, said: "They had their ups and downs like any couple, but I believe my brother has not done this.

"It's not in his nature - he's a pacifist."

Lund remained impassive throughout the trial until he was allowed to question Major Jean-Claude van Batten.about how the police carried out their inquiries.

At this point he became agitated and swore, saying that Major van Batten had prejudiced the whole investigation by assuming Lund was guilty from the start.

(Proceeding).