HOLLY WELLS and Jessica Chapman died in a series of accidents in Ian Huntley's bathroom, lawyers for the alleged double murderer said yesterday.

Holly died after falling into his water-filled bath as Huntley treated her for a nosebleed, Stephen Coward QC told the Old Bailey.

Jessica died as Huntley put his hands over her mouth to stop her screams, the court was told.

It was the first time the jury trying the former caretaker on charges of murder were given any version of how the ten-year-olds might have died.

It came on the 16th day of the trial, as the court heard graphic details of the state of the girls' bodies when they were found - 13 days after they vanished in August last year.

Mr Coward said: "I will put the whole incident of my client's case of what actually happened on August 4 last.

"Holly Wells had a nosebleed, and because it would not stop she, Jessica and the defendant, Mr Huntley, went up to the bathroom at 5 College Close.

"Holly sat on the edge of the bath, at the tap end, the end furthest from the door, and next to the bath was a washbasin.

"Jessica sat on the other end of the bath nearer to the door."

Mr Coward said that Huntley got pieces of tissue or toilet paper, put them under the cold tap to cool them, and handed them to Holly.

But he slipped, the court was told, and apparently banged into her - knocking her backwards into the bath. He had no recollection of a bang, but said he remembered a splash.

"When Holly went in the bath, which had roughly 18in of water in it because Mr Huntley was going to wash the dog, Jessica stood up and started screaming: 'You pushed her, you pushed her'.

"And he then turned towards Jessica, and either with one hand or two, he's not sure, put his hands out towards Jessica - his memory is over her mouth - to stop her screaming.

"For how long he was in that position he can't say.

"But he was then conscious that Jessica was no longer supporting herself on her feet. He let go and she went to the ground.

"He then turned round to the bath and Holly was lying in the bath, apparently dead.

"He lifted Holly out of the bath, put her on the floor, looked for signs of breathing and found none.

"He turned his attention to Jessica, he looked for signs of breathing and found none."

Holly's parents, Kevin and Nicola Wells, leaned forward and listened intently as Mr Coward set out Huntley's version of events.

Jessica's mother, Sharon Chapman, was also in court, although her husband, Leslie, chose not to attend.

Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, told the jury at the opening of the case that the defence might claim the girls' deaths were the result of "a ghastly accident".

He said the prosecution insisted they were not.

Huntley, 29, a former caretaker at Soham Village College, denies murdering Holly and Jessica, but has admitted conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

His ex-girlfriend, Maxine Carr, 26, a former classroom assistant at the girls' primary school, denies conspiring to pervert the course of justice and two charges of assisting an offender.

Earlier, five other admissions were made on Huntley's behalf, as prosecution lawyer Karim Khalil QC read from a list of 21 compiled by the caretaker's legal team.

He said: "One. Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman went into 5 College Close shortly after 6pm on Sunday, August 4, 2002.

"Two. The mobile phone of Jessica Chapman explicitly detached from the mobile network at 6.46pm. This was the last recorded signal.

"Three. Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman died in 5 College Close on Sunday, August 4, 2002.

"Four. The only other person in 5 College Close at the time of their deaths was Ian Huntley.

"Five. Ian Huntley removed their dead bodies from 5 College Close and transported them in the Ford Fiesta car to the place where the bodies were found."