A METROLINK tram driver got a nasty shock when he checked a black canvas bag left behind by a passenger when he reached Altrincham station.

He was trying to identify the owner, but in a side pocket he found indecent photographs of children, Manchester Crown Court heard.

The driver reported the matter, but the owner had already been in touch with Metrolink, saying he had left the bag on a tram at Radcliffe.

Jobless Andrew Mackay, aged 21, had asked to be contacted if it was handed in and left his phone number.

Prosecutor Patrick Buckley said police went to Mackay's home in Church Street, Ainsworth, Bolton where he was arrested.

Mackay indicated he had downloaded the photographs from the internet when using a friend's computer, storing them on a floppy disk.

Nothing further was found at his home apart from the disk. The bag also contained some undergarments to fit a young boy.

It appeared Mackay had travelled from Bury to Radcliffe about an hour before the tram driver found his bag at the Altrincham terminus.

Mackay admitted nine charges of possessing indecent photographs of young children.

Judge Simon Fawcus told him: "Parliament and the courts consider the use of the internet for circulating this filthy material to be extremely serious.

"Indeed the sentence has been increased from five to 10 years, but you are at the lower end of the scale and a first offender. You accept you need help and that can be best achieved by passing a non-custodial sentence."

The judge imposed a two-year community rehabilitation order and Mackay must take part in specified activities as directed by his supervising officer.