A Royal Marine who shot an injured Taliban fighter in Afghanistan has won an appeal against his murder conviction.

Sergeant Alexander Blackman, 42, from Taunton, Somerset, had the conviction quashed by five judges at the Court Martial Appeal Court in London.

They replaced it with manslaughter on the ground of diminished responsibility.

His wife Claire Blackman said she was "delighted" by the decision to reduce her husband's murder conviction saying it "much better reflects the circumstances that my husband found himself in during that terrible tour of Afghanistan".

She emerged on to the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice to applause from a crowd of veterans - including three cheers for her - and the honking of taxi horns.

She said: "We must now hope to secure a significant reduction in the sentence."

There will now be a further hearing at a date to be fixed to decide on the sentence he now has to serve.

Blackman, who was not present for the ruling in the packed courtroom on Wednesday, was convicted in November 2013 by a court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 10 years.

The minimum term was later reduced to eight years because of the combat stress disorder he was suffering from.

Mr Blackman was serving in Helmand Province with Plymouth-based 42 Commando when he shot the insurgent.

As the man convulsed and died in front of him, Mr Blackman quoted a phrase from Shakespeare: "There you are. Shuffle off this mortal coil, you c***. It's nothing you wouldn't do to us."

He then turned to his comrades and said: "Obviously this doesn't go anywhere, fellas. I just broke the Geneva Convention."

The shooting was captured on a camera mounted to the helmet of another Royal Marine.

Mr Blackman said he believed the Taliban fighter was already dead and taking his anger out on his corpse.

He was "dismissed with disgrace" from the Royal Marines after serving for distinction for 15 years.

He had served tours of Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "We have fully co-operated with each stage of Sergeant Blackman's case, which has now involved a criminal investigation, a court martial and the appeal process, and will continue to provide personal support to the family, as we have done since charges were first brought.

"We respect the court's decision and it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on it."