TWO men have been charged in connection to anti tank mines stolen from a freight train.

Leonard Ash, aged 50, of Beckwith Street, Birkenhead has been charged with handling stolen goods, possession of explosive substances and possession of an air pistol.

Kris Keith Black, aged 23, of Woodchurch Road, Birkenhead, has been charged with handling stolen goods and possession of explosive substances.

Both men were arrested on Thursday, December 13, by North-West Counter Terrorism Unit officers investigating the theft of the MoD-owned munitions.

The explosives were on a train when it left Longtown in Cumbria on Wednesday, October 24, but 10 packages were reported stolen shortly after 6.40am on Thursday, October 25 when the train arrived at Didcot, Oxfordshire.

Seven of the packages containing the munitions were found near a railway line off Folley Lane, Dallam.

And today police arrested a seventh man. The 29-year-old is being questioned on suspicion of theft.

A 26-year-old man is due to answer bail on Friday, having been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

Two men, aged 50 and 31, were arrested on suspicion of theft and handling stolen goods.

One is due to answer bail on Wednesday, January 9.

A third man, aged 27, was arrested on suspicion of theft and has been bailed pending further police enquiries.

Phillip Yates, aged 29, of Church Street, Birkenhead, has been charged with theft and is next due before Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, January 28.