Two friends killed a stranger by throwing him over a bridge into a canal.

Russell Robertson's head hit off a metal stanchion after he was pushed over railings at Bainsford Bridge in his home town of Falkirk, causing a fractured skull.

The 27-year-old's body was pulled from the Forth and Clyde Canal more than an hour later.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that he would have been unconscious when he went into the water.

Mark Munro, 31, from Denny and James Robertson, 27, from Pitlochry, have been convicted of culpable homicide after the incident on May 29, last year.

The court heard that all three men had been at the Warehouse nightclub in Falkirk and were making their way home after 3am when a fight broke out.

James Robertson was approached by Russell and they began fighting before Munro, who had been on the phone, became involved.

The pair tipped Russell over the railings into the canal and then ran off without a backward glance.

In court, both men blamed each other.

Munro tried to portray himself as a hero who tried to save Russell, but the jury did not believe him.

Robertson admitted being in an initial struggle with Russell, but claimed he was walking away towards Falkirk when the victim went into the water.

Both men were on trial accused of murder, but were convicted of the reduced charge of culpable homicide.

Nightclub security manager Kevin Gibney told of how he saw Russell disappear off the bridge as he struggled with Munro and Robertson.

Mr Gibney said: "One minute he was there and the next he was gone. The two gentlemen ran across the road."

Minutes later Mr Gibney picked out Munro and Robertson to police and they were detained and later charged with murder.

Another eye-witness Cameron Binnie, 19, said that he and some friends were waiting at a bus stop near the bridge after a night out at the Warehouse nightclub.

He said it was around 3.20am and they were texting friends and taxi firms trying to get a life home when he saw three men who he thought were 'larking about.'

Mr Binnie said: "It looked like play fighting. One of the men had another man in a headlock. I thought it was pals just mucking about."

The lifeguard said he changed his mind when he saw the two men grab the other man's legs.

He added: "I just saw them lifting his legs."

Judge Lady Carmichael deferred sentence until August 23 at the High Court in Edinburgh for background reports and detained both accused in custody.

Defence counsel will give their pleas in mitigation then.