A 34-year-old man has appeared before Blackburn magistrates charged with possessing extreme pornographic images involving animals – one of them showing a person performing intercourse with a snake.

Other charges against Dariusz Sebastian Szymanski, of Ruskin Drive, Bradford, include images of sexual activity with horses and dogs and possessing indecent video footage of children.

He was sent on bail to Preston Crown Court where he will appear on November 10.