Two 17-year-old boys charged in connection with the murder of an elderly vicar have appeared before magistrates.

One youth is charged with murdering the Rev Ronald Glazebrook, 81, at his ground-floor flat in Dane Road, St Leonards.

He is also jointly charged with another 17-year-old youth with conspiring to prevent the lawful and decent burial of a dead body without lawful excuse.

Both appeared before district judge Paul Tain for a preliminary hearing at Hastings Magistrates Court yesterday.

Neither spoke except to confirm their names and addresses.

Both youths are from the St Leonards area. Neither can be named for legal reasons. The judge remanded both defendants in custody until June 20.

A committal hearing has been set for Wednesday, July 4.

The severed limbs of Mr Glazebrook were discovered last week 500 yards from Hastings police station in a wooded area behind a sports centre.

He was reported missing by his daughter, Christine, 45, of Surrey, on April 30.

An inquest into the death of Mr Glazebrook was yesterday opened and adjourned by East Sussex Coroner Alan Craze.

A post-mortem examination of Mr Glazebrook's body was carried out on Monday. The cause of his death has yet to be established.