A weapon was found in a hedgerow following an armed robbery in which $70,000 was taken.

The Colt .45 handgun was discovered shortly after the Bank of Butterfield in Somerset was raided by two people in July 1997.

And a Police firearms expert said the gun was in perfect working order but was delivered to him minus its bullet magazine.

Pc. Stuart Kirkpatrick, Police Firearms Officer, was testifying at the trial of Randolph Lightbourne, who is accused of taking part in the raid on the bank.

Lightbourne, 32, of Devon Springs, Devonshire, pleads not guilty to robbery, using a firearm, unlawful wounding and carrying a firearm with intent to commit and offence.

Pc. Kirkpatrick told the Supreme Court how he had test fired the weapon with five rounds of ammunition to see if it worked.

In addition, acid testing was carried out on the gun to establish a serial number, but one could not be found.

Under examination from Crown counsel Patrick Doherty, he added that he was part of the armed Emergency Response Team which had been called to the incident. The E.R.T. of which he was leader arrested Reid Jones on the same day as the robbery.

Jones is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for his role in the robbery.

Earlier, the trial, before Puisne Judge Norma Wade Miller, heard a Police officer based at Hamilton recall how Lightbourne was brought in and arrested on suspicion of committing a robbery.

Under cross examination from defence counsel Mark Telemaque, the officer agreed that Lightbourne was arrested at the station after a phone call was received instructing the arrest to be made.

At the time of the manhunt, the officer said he did not have any names of possible suspects.

Earlier, the trial heard how two men, armed with pistols, had burst into the bank and beaten two members of staff before making off with $70,000.

They escaped on foot but were both later arrested after their getaway car was blocked in by Police.

A third man, Roderick Bean, earlier told the court how he had been forced to drive the car after Lightbourne had flagged him down for a lift.

The trial continues today.