AN inquest into the death of a man in Risca which is at the centre of a murder investigation has been opened and adjourned.

It comes after two Risca men were charged with the murder of 36-year-old Stephen Lambert.

They appeared at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on September 1.

Raymond Ball, 33, and Gavin Harris, 28, will appear at Cardiff Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on November 14. They are charged in connection with the death of Mr Lambert, who was found fatally injured at Twmbarlwm Close.

The men were remanded in custody to appear at the next hearing.

The inquest, which opened in Newport on Wednesday and is being presided over by Gwent Coroner David Bowen, heard how at 8.43pm on August 27 Gwent Police and the Welsh Ambulance Service were called to the Risca area.

There, the hearing was told, a man identified as Mr Lambert was found with wounds from which he died at the Royal Gwent Hospital later that day.

A post-mortem examination was carried out which found that Mr Lambert had died from an injury to his left lung.

His body was released and the inquest was adjourned.

After his death, tributes to Mr Lambert – who was known as Lammy – were posted on social media.

One user wrote: “RIP Lammy u will be sadly missed by so many people”.

A second user wrote: “So sad! RIP”.

A third added: “Rip Stephen, so awful, thoughts to your family”.