A man has been jailed for possessing firearm parts and reactivation equipment.

Louis Larsson, aged 25, of Fossgill Avenue, Bolton, was sentenced to five years in prison at Manchester Crown Court Crown Square today.

He admitted to possessing the parts and equipment at an earlier hearing.

Earlier this year, officers from Greater Manchester Police's Xcalibre Organised Crime Unit launched a joint investigation with the UK Border Agency into gun parts being imported and deactivated pistols being reactivated.

In May and June 2010, two parcels were intercepted by the UK Border Agency.

The packages contained numerous component parts for a Colt 1911 .45 ACP self loading pistol.

They had been ordered on the internet and sent from companies in Canada and the USA and were destined for Larsson's home address.

Larsson, who previously went by the name Louis Kettle, was arrested at his home on 11 June 2010 and firearms officers discovered other gun parts.

He admitted ordering the items and adapting previously deactivated Colt 45 semiautomatic pistols, which he bought from a militaria shop in Portsmouth.

Detective Sergeant Kevin O'Regan, from the Xcalibre Organised Crime Unit, said: "Larsson's actions rightfully been treated very severely by us and by the courts.

"He is not just an enthusiast who has naively wanted these parts to fuel a hobby - Larsson acted criminally and assembled these parts, restoring their capability as dangerous weapons."