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A man caught couriering cocaine and heroin worth more than £30,000 has been jailed for more than two years.

Police found the stash in ex-soldier Kevin Shimmin's Renault Megane during a routine stop on the M6 on 22 May.

Carlisle Crown Court heard Shimmin, 59, of Peter Street, Whitehaven, was transporting the package from Manchester for a friend for £600.

He has been jailed for 28 months after admitting possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply.

The court heard the father of four was pulled over on the northbound M6 close to Burton Services by police monitoring traffic.

Officers searched the car after Shimmin initially told them "untruths", the court heard, prompting him to direct them to a package beneath his seat.

It contained cocaine and almost a third of a kilo of heroin with a total potential street sale value of £30,150.

Judge Nicholas Barker said: "It is always sad for the court to see a former soldier, knocking on the door of 60 years of age as you are, before the court."

Prosecutor Charles Brown told the court Shimmin "is a courier".

Noting Shimmin has been offered £600 to carry the illegal cargo, the judge said: "That was a significant risk, you understand, and the risk you are now paying for. Those chickens, I am afraid, have come home to roost."

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