THE three people charged with the manslaughter of a woman who drowned when a boat sank in the River Severn have all denied they were responsible for the people on board.

Jane Turner, 45, from Castle Bromwich, Solihull, drowned during a party on a 23ft long vessel, Sweetie Pie, after becoming trapped in its cabin when it went down in Stourport on Saturday, September 6, 2003.

The prosecution argued the defendants were criminally negligent because they allowed the boat to sail when it was overloaded.

At Birmingham Crown Court, Peter Cooper, prosecuting, read out transcripts of the police interviews given by Tom Prescot, Janice Ward and Ruth Pearson. All three have denied manslaughter.

Prescot, of George Street, said it was not his party and so he was not responsible for the number of people on board.

Ward, of Worcester Road, Stourport, also said she did not feel responsible for the revellers, as it was not her party.

Pearson, of St George's Terrace, Kidderminster, said she felt responsibility fell on Prescot as he was supervising the driving.

Ward was the first of the defendants to take the stand.

She said if Alan Stanley, chairman of Severn Area Rescue Association - SARA - who she had known for a number of years, had told them the boat was overloaded she would have asked for the vessel to moor and let people off.

Ward, 43, said she was not alarmed when she saw Mr Stanley pull up in his rescue boat next to them.

"It just looked like he (Mr Stanley) was having a chat with Tom," she said. "It is not unusual for him to pull up in his rescue boat and have a chat."

When Mr Stanley gave evidence two weeks ago he said he did not believe Sweetie Pie to be dangerously low in the water.

The trial continues.