A RENFREWSHIRE man was caught with eight guns after armed police swooped on him in a city centre street.

Paul Duncan, 55, was detained following an operation that led to him being stopped as he drove his Mazda 6 car on August 21 this year.

Officers found a self-loading pistol hidden in a sock in the vehicle during the search in Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street.

They also recovered a quantity of "home-made" ammunition.

Police went on to search the home Duncan shared with his wife in Erskine.

Prosecutor Angela Gray told the High Court in Glasgow how a black suitcase was found in a lock-up garage there.

It contained six more converted pistols, a revolver and several packets of ammunition.

Miss Gray said: "He was interviewed but declined to answers questions put to him."

The hearing was told the guns had originally been designed to fire blank cartridges but had been converted.

Miss Gray continued: "The pistols...and one revolver..were tested and it was confirmed they had enough energy to be considered lethal barrelled weapons."

First offender Duncan today admitted nine firearms charges, including possession of the guns and ammunition.

John Scullion QC, defending, told the court his client had got involved with the firearms after falling on "hard times."

Lord Armstrong remanded Duncan in custody ahead of sentencing next month.