MORE than a tonne of potentially lethal illegally-stored fireworks have been seized in a raid on a Worcester lock-up garage - the biggest haul ever seen in Worcestershire.

The fireworks, which have been described as a time-bomb by authorities, were seized in a joint operation between Worcestershire Trading Standards and West Mercia police on a busy city housing estate.

They have a street value of several thousand pounds, and were found in the garage alongside highly-flammable chemicals, including petrol and creosote, and a pile of newspapers.

The haul, which was discovered last Friday, was made up of many different types of firework, including multi-packs and giant rockets.

Trading Standards officers took them to a safe storage area, and have now launched an investigation.

They said that the stash posed a significant risk to people living nearby, and could have caused serious injury if it had ignited.

"This garage was a potential time-bomb which could have killed or maimed if exploded," said Peter Holmes, the county's Principal Trading Standards officer.

"This is the biggest find we've had to date, despite having a similar incident last year.

"Most suppliers will check to see if the buyer has a suitable storage space before fireworks are sold, so these have been obtained from a different source.

"I would urge people to notify the trading standards department if other such stores are in existence."

He said that the department's previous discovery came in Pershore.

Officers uncovered a similar quantity of fireworks there, but the premises were not near homes.

"This situation is much worse because it was on a residential site and there were people

and property close to where it was being stored.

"We have no concrete evidence as to where the fireworks would have been distributed, but the suspicion is that they would have been car-booted."

Normally, fireworks can only be stored in specially licensed premises, which are inspected by the council.

The penalty for keeping them in unlicensed premises is a £5,000 fine or up to two years' imprisonment.

Anyone wanting to store fireworks or explosives should call Trading Standards on 01905 765394.

Police were questioning a man in connection with the incident today.

Fireworks stored to be sold

From P1 / n and property close to where it was being stored.

"We have no concrete evidence as to where the fireworks would have been distributed, but the suspicion is that they would have been car-booted."

Normally, fireworks can only be stored in specially licensed premises, which are inspected by the council.

The penalty for keeping them in unlicensed premises is a £5,000 fine or up to two years' imprisonment.

Anyone wanting to store fireworks or explosives should call Trading Standards on 01905 765394.

Police were questioning a man in connection with the incident today.