TWO people are due to appear in court today accused of the manslaughter of popular Hampshire jazz musician Tim Colwell.

Richard Harris, 20, of Seaton Close, Lymington, and a 17-year-old youth, also from Lymington, were charged on Saturday night and are due to appear before New Forest magistrates.

Three girls have been released without charge, pending further inquiries into the incident.

Mr Colwell, 65, who lived alone at Howards Mead, Pennington, near Lymington, collapsed following an incident outside his home on Thursday night.

Police launched a murder inquiry after Mr Colwell died at Southampton General Hospital.

However, the investigation turned into a manslaughter probe following a post-mortem examination carried out by a Home Office pathologist.

The results of the examination have not been made public, but Mr Colwell is thought to have suffered a heart attack.

Hampshire's jazz community has been stunned by his death. Mr Colwell was one half of the duo Jazz Two and also performed with Kenny Ball's Jazzmen.

Tributes pouring in for the dynamic saxophonist can be summed up in the words of Mr Colwell's former pianist, Ray d'Inverno, a mathematics professor at Southampton University.

He said: "He was a big figure in every sense of the word - multi-talented and motivational.

"I am shocked by his death, but I can't help feeling Tim was living on borrowed time. He had suffered two heart attacks in recent years.

"But he had so many skills - saxophonist, compere, singer, good leader and underrated composer. The National Youth Jazz Orchestra plays music by Tim."

Andy Iles, chairman of Southampton Jazz Club, said: "Tim's career stretched back to the early 1970s. He was a big favourite in clubs all over Southampton. His sax playing was colourful, strong and exciting. He dominated the stage. It's a loss to the whole jazz community."

Pip Steven, former landlord at the Hobler Inn, near Lymington, was also devastated to hear of Mr Colwell's death.

Pip, who now runs the Royal Oak pub at Swallowcliffe, near Salisbury, said: "Tim was due to play at my pub this coming Sunday.

"He was the first person to play jazz at the Hobler, and brought his band there every Tuesday. People used to queue up to hear them play. He even made a live recording at the Hobler.

"Tim had been suffering from ill health - he had a heart problem and had given up drinking. He was an extrovert and an eccentric, but there was no harm in him. He was a great guy."

Mr Colwell was born in Derbyshire and moved south with his family as a child. He attended the then Brockenhurst Grammar School - now Brockenhurst College - and lived for the rest of his life in the Lymington area and had various jobs.

One was as the presenter of a jazz programme on Radio Victory and he interviewed numerous great names from the world of jazz for his shows.