A CHORLEY teenager caught with explosives told police he was trying to poison rats.

The 15-year-old had been mixing three common household items to kill rodents, but claimed ‘accidental contamination’ made it into an explosive device.

He was convicted of explosives offences after a three-day trial, and pleaded guilty to possession of live ammunition – two bullets – at Preston Youth Court.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was given a 12-month supervision order and told if he did not comply he would be sent into custody.

Detective Inspector Paul Rudd said: “The explosive wasn’t mixed in the correct quantities, so it must be stressed that no danger was posed to any members of the public at any time.

“This should serve as a warning though that we treat such offences extremely seriously.

“Anyone committing such offences, including this teenager, will face consequences for the rest of their lives.

“Parents need to be responsible in making sure that they know what their children are doing and, along with wider members of the community, report any suspicious activity to the police”