TWO men were due to be sentenced today after one brought a live bomb home on a bus.

John Baker, 59, and Philip Benson, 39, were due to appear before Judge Raymond Bennett at Burnley Crown Court.

Yesterday the court heard how police found a "bomb maker's paradise" and working guns at Baker's flat in Morecambe.

Benson, of Every Street, Nelson, called police saying he had found a pipe bomb at the gate of a mosque in the town but later admitted he had brought it back from Morecambe on the bus. The device worked and could have gone off.

The duo had written letters to each other talking of war and bullets which caused most harm but were described as "fantasists" rather than terrorists.

They both admitted conspiracy to cause explosions. Baker also pleaded guilty to having explosive substances, two charges of possessing a firearm, three of possessing a firearm when prohibited, two allegations of possessing expanding ammunition and making a threat to kill.

Elizabeth Nicholls, prosecuting, said Benson called police claiming he had retrieved a bomb from a the gate of a mosque.

Police searched his home while he was at the station making a statement and found a hacksaw, pipe cutter, letters from Baker and a document giving instructions how to create the bomb Benson had handed them.

Miss Nicholls said police later went to Baker's home and arrested him. They effectively stumbled upon a "bomb maker's paradise" and found gunpowder, chemicals, fuses and a commercial detonator. The defendant also had two revolvers, an air rifle with ammunition, a video showing how the weapon could be modified and a lot of ammunition. All the guns were in working order.

Officers also discovered a mass of recipes for various explosive devices and the letters from Benson. Police downloaded information from Baker's computer and realised who had written the letters to Mr Hussain.

Forensic scientists concluded the device taken from Benson's house was a home made bomb and the piping matched that found at Baker's home.

Benson said he had brought the device home on the bus in his rucksack. He had not intended to use it.