Kalashnikovs and army rifle in secret cache found at Bearsden farm

A BRITISH army rifle and two Kalashnikovs were among a cache of weapons found in a bin in a leafy Scottish suburb.

The haul in Bearsden, Glasgow, contained a “significant” quantity of weapons, a spokesman for Strathclyde Police said.

The former dairy farm off Kessington Road is now shared accommodation. One resident said he named the building Heartbreak Hotel after his former girlfriend ended a relationship shortly after he moved in.

He said the weapons, including an SA-80 British army rifle, two AK47 Kalashnikov assault rifles, a rifle and a shotgun, were found stuffed into a small plastic bin and wrapped in bin bags on a grassy verge.

The man, who did not wish to be named, said the guns had touches of rust and looked as if they could have been hidden outside for some time.

“It was very scary,” he said. “The person who found them came running to our door and said, ‘I have found something in a field.’

“Bearsden is a very quiet area. This is the last thing you would expect to happen here.”

The residents of the farm rang police who took the weapons away and began a detailed search of the property.

Officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency joined forensic experts yesterday in combing a large cordoned off area at Old Killermont Farm.

Strathclyde Police said the force would not be confirming any details of the weapons until further searches and tests had been carried out.

However police did say the haul contained a “significant” amount of weaponry and appealed for anyone with any information to get in touch.

Detective Superintendent Jim Downie said: “Whilst we cannot confirm the types of firearms found, this was a significant find. Our inquiries are at an early stage and police are still at the scene carrying out inquiries.

“I would appeal to anyone who has any information that would help us with our inquiries to contact police.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: “We will work with the civilian authorities if this weapon has been stolen from the military”.

Strathclyde Police said that no arrests had been made in connection with the discovery of the arms cache, and teams of police officers spent most of the day conducting a fingertip search of the site.

Police also inspected three cars, a Jaguar, a Smart car and a taxi, which were parked at the farmhouse.

At one point a police helicopter appeared overhead and hovered above the farm for around half an hour.

Helen McFarlane, 84, who lives near where the weapons were found, said her daughter arrived at her home on Thursday evening to find a police cordon on nearby Woodvale Avenue.

She said: “My daughter came in about 10pm and there was no access to the street, but we had no idea that there were guns found.

“You do see the odd car you don’t recognise around the farmhouse and there are a group of men living there – one is a taxi driver and I think one works with carpets or rugs.

“I’m shocked and upset by this. It’s very worrying, especially at my age, because I’m out walking the dog in that field every day. We could have been walking on top of this.”

Strathclyde Police said anyone with information about the weapons should contact London Road Police Office on 0141-532 4600 or Crimestoppers, anonymously and in confidence, on 0800 555 111.