Martin Gannon in court over Craig Glaze's killing

A fitness instructor appeared in court today accused of killing his best friend with a single blow to the head hours after a New Year's Eve party in Wolverhampton.

Martin Gannon, aged 24, is charged with the manslaughter of former soldier Craig Glaze.

The 25-year-old victim, who served with the Army in Iraq and had a three-year-old son, was attacked at his house in Cromwell Road, Bushbury, on Saturday.

He was taken to New Cross Hospital but died on Sunday. A post mortem yesterday revealed he died from injuries caused by a blow to the head.

Gannon, a personal trainer at Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre in Wednesfield, was arrested and charged last night.

The pair lived next door to each other and are understood to have known each other since the age of five.

Gannon, a former boxer, appeared at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court today but has not entered a plea. His solicitor Brij Chaudhry applied for bail but district judge Graham Wilkinson remanded him in custody to give police time to check out the bail address, said to be that of a close relative.

He will appear before magistrates again tomorrow and at crown court on March 29.

He had worked at the fitness centre in Bentley Bridge, for six months and had been in regular work as a fitness instructor since leaving Northicote School.

Gannon is a family friend of One Direction star Liam Payne and travelled to London for at least two of the X Factor shows to support him.