A man who was found with a pipe bomb in his luggage was allowed to board a flight to the UK even after examinations showed he had been carrying a viable device, a court has heard.

The improvised explosive device was found in a small, green suitcase belonging to Nadeem Muhammad, 43, as he attempted to board a Ryanair flight to Italy at Manchester Airport on January 30.

Muhammad was questioned by police at the airport and again over a week later in Italy, after tests showed the bomb was viable, but on both occasions was released and allowed to keep his passport.

Manchester Crown Court heard the item was seized from his hand luggage after it was discovered as he went through airport security, but police and security staff did not believe it was a working bomb and Muhammad was not arrested.

He flew to Bergamo, near Milan, from Manchester on February 5, carrying the same suitcase.

It was only on February 8 when the device, containing explosive powder and made of batteries, masking tape, pins, wires and the barrel of a marker pen, was further examined and found to be viable.

Muhammad, who was born in Pakistan but had an Italian passport, said on February 9 his home in Italy was raided by police, along with his workplace.

Giving evidence at his trial through an interpreter, he said he was taken to a police station and questioned by Italian authorities.

He said: "They told me that, when you were stopped on January 30, the item they found in your bag, there is some powder and some nails."

But he said after a couple of hours of questioning he was released and his passport was not seized.

Three days later, on February 12, he flew back to Manchester Airport, where he was arrested.

While in Italy he said he lent the suitcase which the device had been found in to his brother-in-law.

The bag was seized by police from his brother-in-law in March.

Muhammad said he was "surprised" when a security officer found the pipe bomb in the zip lining of his suitcase and that he did not know what it was.

He told the court: "I had never seen it before."

Asked if the device had anything to do with him, he said: "No, not at all."

The court has heard that experts found the device contained nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose and could have been detonated if wires protruding from it were joined together.

Muhammad broke down in tears during his evidence when asked about his wife, who was sitting in the public gallery.

The court heard he had moved to Bury in about 2016 and made regular trips to Italy, where he had a business which supplied workers to a factory making alloy wheels.

He was due to travel to Pakistan for a family wedding on February 13, the day after his arrest.

Muhammad, of Tinline Street, denies possession of explosives with intent to endanger life or property and an alternative charge of possession of explosives under suspicious circumstances.

The trial continues.