Two schoolboys were abducted and sexually assaulted during a trip to their local park, a court was told.

The youngsters, aged six and eight, were persuaded to follow Angus Bowman, 39, who said he would show them some pictures.

Newcastle Crown Court was told that after the boys were lured to a secluded area in Easington Colliery, Mr Bowman subjected them to a sex ordeal and produced pictures of naked children.

The court heard how the boys had been permitted to go to the park at about lunchtime on April 4.

Penny Moreland, prosecuting, said: "A man who was riding a green bike rode past them on several occasions.

"Eventually he stopped, got off his bike and approached them. He said he was looking for his brother.

"He said, 'If you just come with me I will show you some pictures'.

"The boys went with him along a path which leads away from the village.

"He did indeed show the little boys some pictures. One boy did not see them, but the other said they were pictures of naked children."

The court heard how Mr Bowman then tried to engage the youngsters in lewd conversation and sexually assaulted them.

Their ordeal ended when a relative of one of the boys grew concerned when one of their young friends returned home without them.

The uncle pulled up in his car and saw the boys with Bowman heading towards a wooded area.

After taking the boys home, he scoured the area and found Mr Bowman loading his bike into his red sports car.

Mr Bowman, of Moresby Road, Cramlington, North-umberland, told police that he had stopped his car because he needed to relieve himself.

He denies two charges of abduction and two charges of sexual assault on a child.

He also denies charges of engaging in sexual activity with a child and indecent exposure in relation to an incident in Killingworth on July 15 last year.

On this occasion he is said to have exposed himself to girls aged eight and six who were playing in the street.

When arrested, he had pornographic pictures of children in his trouser pocket and more images were found in his car, work laptop and home computer.

He said he knew nothing about the sickening images on his computers and had found the pictures he had with him while at work at a waste disposal site.

Mr Bowman denies charges of possessing and making indecent photographs of children. He denies a total of 28 charges.

The case continues.