A nest raider was found with hundreds of eggs stolen from some of the UK's rarest wild birds, a court heard yesterday.

Barry Sheavills, 41, admitted having over 1,200 protected birds eggs, including those of the barn owl and peregrine falcon.

South East Northumberland magistrates' court was told how Sheavills had an obsession with collecting the eggs, and had been convicted several times in the past.

RSPB investigators and Northumbria Police found the stash of 1,260 protected eggs, covering dozens of species.

They also uncovered a collection of 52 specially protected eggs, including those of the Slavonian grebe, of which there are only 30 pairs in the UK.

Sheavills, of Blyth, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to the possession of both batches of eggs, and of having equipment used for egg collecting.

He was caught after raids by the RSPB and police, who found notebooks and maps pinpointing the sites of birds' nests.

Despite finding no eggs at first, the investigations continued and, after a further raid at one of Sheavills' friends' homes, they uncovered the eggs.

Sheavills was fined a total of £1,000, with £500 costs.

He had faced the maximum penalty of £1.5m, but the figure was reduced because of his limited means.