An explosives expert told a court she had never seen anything like the bombs built by Oxfordshire magistrate Jonathan Wilkes.

Kim Simpson, senior case officer at the Forensic Explosives Laboratory in Kent, told Oxford Crown Court bombs packed into water bottles found near Freeland and at Syreford, Gloucestershire, were "very sophisticated".

Former Bicester magistrate Wilkes, 40, who used to live in Wroslyn Road, Freeland, admits making the bombs, but denies two charges of unlawfully possessing explosive devices with intent to endanger life and two charges of unlawfully possessing explosive devices.

Mrs Simpson said three of the bombs found at Freeland were triggered by two radio control receivers -- one to prepare the bomb for firing and a second to set it off.

She said: "I have never come across any radio-controlled devices constructed in this way before."

The design meant the bombs could be left dormant for days without the batteries becoming drained, she said.

Dog-walker Michael Cozier told the court yesterday how he found the cache of eight bombs while walking his dog Jessie on August 23, 2000, near Cuckoo Lane, Freeland.

Alerted by Jessie, he found a bin liner beneath recently disturbed ground. He looked inside and saw what looked like water bottles. "I didn't like the look of it," he said.

The trial continues.