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A 39-year-old unemployed man has admitted storing heroin with a street value of more than £5.8m in his home.

Police officers who raided Daniel McIntosh's one-bedroom flat in Maryhill, Glasgow, discovered 16 kilos (35lb) of the drug.

If divided down into "tenner bags", it would have the potential to supply 586,585 users - the equivalent of the population of Glasgow.

The heroin was found in a carrier bag and two holdalls.

At the High Court in Glasgow, McIntosh admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin at his flat on 5 September last year.

He said he was paid to store the heroin after running up a drugs debt.

Prosecutor Blair Speed said: "It is accepted that the accused was trusted with the safekeeping of a large quantity of controlled drugs for the onward distribution by others.

"The total potential street value of the heroin recovered in this case is approximately £5,865,850 if the drug were subdivided into £10 bag deals."

The court heard that police, armed with a warrant, began their search just after midnight.

A significant amount of the heroin found was of between 50% and 60% purity. Street heroin is normally about 13% pure.

Defence counsel Tony Lenehan said: "This is a man who worked solidly from leaving school. Prior to this event he had something of a downward spiral after losing his job for the first time ever.

"He ended up with a drug debt as he became a user. He stored these drugs to satisfy a drug debt."

McIntosh, a first offender, will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on 27 August.

Judge Lord Fairley granted him bail.