A firearms enthusiast has escaped jail after police found a collection of guns and ammunition at his home.

Officers were called to Colin Shone's house by his former partner and after a series of searches found an illegally held gun and ammunition which had been banned since the Dunblane shootings.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that none of the ammunition could be used with the guns 42-year-old Shone had.

He was also found to have rounds of now illegal exploding ammunition, which causes more damage on impact.

The court heard that Shone had never used or intended to use any of the illegal items found in his house.

Yesterday, he appeared in court charged with one offence of possession of a prohibited weapon, four counts of possession of prohibited ammunition and four charges relating to firearms certificates.

Shone said he had put a box of ammunition in the loft of his home in Valley Lane, Marsden, South Tyneside, when he had moved in 13 years before.

The court heard he had forgotten about the box until he and his partner split up, when he took it from the attic.

Roger Elsey, mitigating, said Shone had looked on a website which had guidelines for holding historic firearms, and believed that because he already had a licence for other weapons he would not need one for the pistol.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge with £300 costs.

Judge Judith Moir said the firearms and ammunition could have found their way into someone else's possession.