Stashes of explosives and detonators were discovered hidden inside a soldier's locker at a British Army base, a police officer told a court yesterday.

Stashes of explosives and detonators were discovered hidden inside a soldier's locker at a British Army base, a police officer told a court yesterday.

The haul was uncovered during a police search of a padlocked locker at Howe Barracks in Canterbury, Kent on February 15 this year.

The locker belonged to a colour sergeant, one of two servicemen on trial at Maidstone Crown Court accused of conspiring to steal explosives to pass to associates connected to the criminal underworld.

Constable Martin Farrier told the jury that officers found seven sticks of military plastic explosives, 80 plain detonators, 16 electrical detonators and a total of 60 firing wires and safety fuses.

A detailed search of the platoon storeroom also revealed a green zip-up bag storing five smoke grenades and blank ammunition, plus further detonators and fuses in a metal container.

The 37-year-old colour sergeant and 28-year-old lance corporal, who can only be referred to as soldier X and soldier Y respectively, were serving members of the Fifth Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) stationed at Howe. They deny the charges against them.

Two other men - unemployed Andrew Quinn, 26 (previously known only as soldier A), a former serviceman with the 5 Scots, and soldier B, a 27-year-old sergeant of 5 Scots - pleaded guilty at a hearing in June to charges of conspiracy to possess explosives and conspiracy to dishonestly undertake or assist in the retention, removal, disposal or realisation of stolen goods, but denied the charge of conspiracy to steal explosives.

The trial continues.