A MAN who illegally sold fireworks to customers from the open kitchen window of his home appeared in court yesterday.

Teesside magistrates were told how a team from Middlesbrough Council's trading standards department saw Michael Waite supplying constant streams of customers with the air bombs and rockets from his house in The Greenway, Thorntree, Middlesbrough.

Waite pleaded guilty to illegally storing and selling fireworks - the first case of its kind brought in Middlesbrough.

John Wells, group leader of Middlesbrough Council trading standards, said afterwards: "Every year, genuine retailers are inspected regularly by trading standards and there are very few illegal sales.

"However, we were very concerned last year about illegal sales from houses and their links with anti-social behaviour in the weeks running up to November 5.

"This year, we will mount a similar campaign and will be going on information from our street wardens and concerned members of the public.''

The Bench adjourned sentencing for two weeks.