FIREWORKS display organiser Geoffrey Counsell had his preliminary hearing at Bristol Crown Court today (December 4) charged with seven counts of manslaughter.

Mr Counsell, 50, of Ashill, was due before Judge Martin Picton facing charges relating to the deaths of seven people in a pile-up on the M5 motorway near Taunton in November 2011.

Following this hearing, he will now have to attend a further preliminary hearing on January 15 at Bristol Crown Court.