Two men have been sentenced after electricians found drugs and a gun while changing an electricity meter in a house in Ickleford.

On November 3 last year, while working in a property in Icknield Close, the electricians disturbed a bag - causing the contents to fall out.

Inside the bag was an adapted firearm and a large quantity of cocaine.

The workmen called the police and officers immediately attended and seized the bag and its contents.

The force then waited at the address for the homeowner to return and Timothy Smith, 50, was arrested a short time later.

Following his arrest, officers searched the rest of the property and found another firearm and a cannister of CS gas.

The weapons and drugs were sent away for forensic analysis and Jack Kirkham, 21, of Station Road in Arlesey, was forensically linked to the drugs. His DNA was later located on the trigger of one of the firearms.

Kirkham was arrested and was also charged with possessing a firearm and a drug supply offence.

Following a week-long trial at St Albans Crown Court, on November 22, Smith was found guilty of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A, namely cocaine and possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid in relation to the CS gas cannister, as well as two counts of possession of a firearm.

Kirkham was found guilty of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class A - cocaine - and possession a firearm.

On November 24, Smith was sentenced to 11 years and three months, and Kirkham was sentenced to 8 years and six months.

Dt Insp Michael Ball, from the North Herts Local Crime Unit, said: “We are extremely pleased that the weapons and large amount of class A drugs have been removed from the streets. The dangerous weapons, that will now be destroyed, are now out of the hands of criminals.

“The sentences passed will hopefully remind people of the seriousness of these types of offences and act as a deterrent to those who deal drugs in our county. We will continue to work to make Hertfordshire a safer place for the public, but a hostile place for criminals.”

Drug related crime can be reported to Herts police online, via web chat or by calling 101.

Alternatively, you can stay anonymous by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.