BOMB disposal experts searching the garden of a loner jailed for life after he planned a massacre at his former college have found "nothing of concern," police have said.

Officers have this evening been investigating a report that two potentially harmful items may have been buried in the garden where Liam Lyburd used to live in Hamilton Place, Newcastle.

Eighteen neighbouring properties had been evacuated earlier this evening as a precaution.

The search is now complete and all residents are able to return to their homes.

Officers will remain in the area this evening to reassure residents.

Chief Inspector Alison Best said: "We want to thank local people for their support throughout this operation.

"We received information that there could have been potentially harmful objects in the garden of the property and given the circumstances it was appropriate that we called in the experts to carry out the search.

"We are now satisfied following assistance from EOD and Tyne and Wear Fire Service that there is nothing of concern at the location. Local residents can go about their normal business.

"I'd like to thank our partners for their assistance in this operation and especially Newcastle city council for helping to look after the residents who were evacuated at short notice.

"They did a fantastic job in reassuring local residents and helping officers keep them safe and up to speed with what was happening."

Lyburd, who had amassed a fearsome arsenal of pipe bombs, a Glock semi-automatic pistol, 94 expanding bullets, a machete and a "kill bag", had planned revenge on Newcastle College after it kicked him out for bad behaviour.

But his plot to go on a murderous spree was thwarted by a concerned Facebook contact who saw his online rants and alerted the police.

He was jailed for life in September 2015 with a minimum term of eight years, but Judge Paul Sloan QC said it could be "a very long time" before he was considered safe enough for release.

After being thrown out of college in 2012, Lyburd retreated into a reclusive online world, rarely leaving his bedroom, and amassed his arsenal using the Dark Web to buy illicit items.

He was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court having admitted possessing the firearms and bombs and being found guilty of having them with intent to endanger life.

When police raided his home last November, they found the cache of weapons, the bag containing his overalls, mask, boots and pipe bombs, and incriminating evidence on his laptop.