A PENSIONER accused of keeping a shotgun, revolver and an arsenal of ammunition at his Bournemouth home has appeared in court.

Alan Bye, of Ensbury Park Road, appeared at Bournemouth Magistrates Court on Tuesday facing six firearms offences.

The 77-year-old is accused of being in possession of a Webley VI Revolver, which is a pistol issued to servicemen up until the 1960s.

He also faces one charge of possessing a 9mm Flobert shotgun, a French-designed weapon used for indoor shooting, without a licence.

The charges relate to items allegedly discovered at Bye’s home address on December 18 last year.

Bye is accused of purchasing or acquiring expanding ammunition, namely 4,000 rounds of .22 yellow jacket hollow points, which are bullets used in hunting.

He is also faces charges of possessing ammunition for a firearm without a certificate, possessing expanding ammunition and possessing prohibited ammunition.

The haul of ammunition which the charges relate to include five rounds of soviet pattern 7.62mm LPS light ball, which are used in machine guns.

Other items allegedly discovered in the pensioner’s home include four large calibre 12.7mm soviet military armour piercing incendiary tracers and five boxes of 50 rounds of live long rifle rim-fire cartridges with hollow points.

During the hearing Bye spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address.

The case was sent to Bournemouth Crown Court where Bye is next due to appear on July 14.