A cross-border police operation led to the arrests of four men, including one from Bradford, after firearms finds in England and Ireland.

An Old Bailey court in London heard how the discovery of a murder weapon on an Irish riverbed led to the arrest of two members of an English gun club.

Police divers found a 9mm self-loading pistol at the bottom of a river in Co Limerick in December 2002, said Mark Ellison, prosecuting. "It had been used in the shooting of a man the month before," he said.

Robert Naylor, 49, and James Greenwood, 57, both members of Morecambe Rifle and Pistol club are alleged to have reactivated "dead" weapons, including the pistol found in the Irish river.

The two men, both from Morecambe, have denied two further charges of manufacturing other prohibited weapons - two Sterling sub-machine guns - between summer 2002 and summer 2003. They also deny possession of firearms with intent to enable another to endanger life.

A third man, van hire company owner Benjamin Wilson, 35, also from Morecambe, also denied possession of firearms and ammunition at yesterday's Old Bailey hearing.

On August 10 last year, Naylor is alleged to have sold three prohibited weapons for £4,000 to another man - James Moloney - while under police surveillance.

Moloney, who married the sister of Naylor's girlfriend, had been under police surveillance. Links were uncovered between him and Naylor. The weapons - a Sten sub-machine gun and two handguns along with a silencer - were taken by trailer to Wilson's premises, said the prosecution.

Mr Ellison said Moloney, 45, of Irish descent, who lived in a mobile home off Napier Road, Bradford, was a regular visitor to the Irish Republic where he had associates. He had previously pleaded guilty to firearms charges.

Naylor had also admitted possession of a number of weapons he had sold that day, Mr Ellison told the jury.

"The issue is whether the prosecution can prove he was in possession of weapons in order for another to endanger life."

Wilson had admitted he lent Moloney £4,000 cash but said he had no idea what he was going to use it for, or that he had any weapons, the court heard.

Mr Ellison said the Irish police made six weapon recoveries between 2002 and 2003.

Mr Ellison said all weapons had been officially deactivated and later reactivated.

The trial continues