Escaped prisoner Alan Murphy was found with terrorist-style nail bomb and gun in Blackpool town centre

A man has made his first appearance at court charged with having a terrorist-style nail bomb in Blackpool.

Alan Murphy is charged with having the bomb with intent to endanger life and cause serious injury in the resort on November 26 2020.

At the time he was on the run from prison.

The 61-year-old formerly of Bolton appeared before Blackpool Magistrates via a video link from Wymott Jail near Leyland where he is serving an indeterminate life sentence for armed robbery.

He was arrested in Blackpool in 2020 at a soup kitchen on the resort's Bolton Street today's court heard.

He is further charged with possessing a firearm at the same time- a modified BB pistol and possessing an improvised shotgun and a kitchen knife.

Magistrates sent him for trial at Preston Crown Court where he will appear on  October 10.

No plea was entered by his lawyer Patrick Nelligan, who said: "These matters date back almost three years . He wants to get them out of the way.

"Only then will his release from the indeterminate sentence be considered."