A man who vanished with a girl more than 50 years his junior has denied ever having sexual relations with her.

Bradford Crown Court was told that Arthur Jenkinson, 60, took the eight-year-old from her North Yorkshire home and travelled by taxi and train to Exeter.

After they were found the next day following a nationwide hunt, he allegedly told police he believed the girl was his wife.

Giving evidence in his defence, Jenkinson denied suggesting she was his wife but admitted they had talked about getting married when she was 18.

"By then, she could have found someone else,'' he said.

He added it had never entered his head to have a wife who was eight years old.

Asked by defence counsel Jennifer Kershaw QC why he had gone to Devon with the girl, Jenkinson replied: "No idea - it should never have happened.

"It was wrong in the first place because the lass was under age. It was wrong, completely.''

Asked what effect he thought it would have had on her family, he said: "Devastating, I should imagine.''

He admitted that on occasions he had given the girl a "peck'' but insisted there had been no sexual motive.

He claimed she had wanted to leave home and he had tried to persuade her not to.

Jenkinson, of Woodland Street, Cowling, near Keighley, has pleaded guilty to abducting the girl but denies five sample charges of indecent assault.

The prosecution allege that he kissed the girl on the lips in what were sexual acts rather than shows of affection.

The court was told that during police interviews he was asked whether he had any kind of sexual relationship with the youngster and replied: "Only a bit ... not much.''

He denied fantasising about having sex with her and claimed some of the notes found at his home - referring to her as his "sweet wife'' - were "just rubbish'' he used to write.

The trial continues.