A Trowbridge man who was accused of possessing a prohibited weapon has had the charge against him dropped.

Bryan Burrows, 45, would have faced the prospect of a mandatory five-year jail term had he been convicted of having the Brocock .38 self-contained cartridge system.

But prosecutors offered no evidence against Mr Burrows, of Westfield Road, Trowbridge, when he appeared at Swindon Crown Court on Friday.

Judge Tim Mousley QC entered a formal not guilty verdict and ordered Mr Burrows' out of pocket costs be paid.

A second man, Frank Welch, 50, of The Glebe, Freshford, Bath, is still set to face trial on the charge.

It is alleged he had the cartridge with a Brocock ME38 Magnum revolver on Tuesday, November 19, last year. The case against him was adjourned to Monday, September 15.