A 19-year-old man has been jailed for more than five years after a firearm, knife and drugs were seized from a car in Stoke-on-Trent.

Loysious Payne, 19, from Hanley, was jailed for five-years-and-two-months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday (26 March).

He admitted possession of a firearm, possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class B, being concerned in the supply of a class B drug, possession of a knife blade / sharp pointed article in a public place and possession of criminal property at an earlier hearing.

Detective Constable Ian Prendergast of CID led the investigation. He said: "When Payne's car was stopped in Hanley last year, his behaviour immediately raised suspicions, leading to a search of the vehicle where we found weapons, drugs and cash.

"We worked tirelessly to gather evidence against him which has led to his jail term."

It comes after officers stopped a white Ford on Broad Street, Hanley, following intelligence that the car was linked to drugs supply on Sunday 5 October last year.

When officers searched the car, a shotgun with 35 cartridges and a 'rambo-style' knife were found in the boot.

In a footwell, they found wraps of monkey dust concealed inside a deodorant can and £1,365 in cash was found in Payne's pocket.

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Payne was arrested and despite answering 'no comment' to all questions in custody, he later admitted the offences in court.