By Rob Cooper PUBLISHED: 07:11 EST, 29 April 2013 | UPDATED: 08:57 EST, 29 April 2013 The trial of a former lifeguard accused of killing schoolgirl April Jones may last seven weeks, a court heard today. Mark Bridger, 47, was arrested the day after five-year-old April vanished while playing on her bike near her home in Machynlleth, mid-Wales last year. His murder trial, which will start later this week, is expected to last until mid June. Bridger, wearing a short-sleeved light blue shirt and striped tie, spoke only to confirm his name as he stood in the dock at Mold Crown Court.
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April Jones, five, has never been found after vanishing last October
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50 potential jurors brought into court as panel are selected to try the case
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The trial of Mark Bridger, 47, who denies murder, will start later this week
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Asking the jury pool to consider any connections to Machynlleth which may prevent them from sitting on the jury, the trial judge added: 'It is very important that no person on the jury has any present or past connection with the @placeholder area, and certainly no connection which would cause any concern about that particular juror sitting on the case.'