It is the third weapon recovered by chance on the streets of Birmingham in recent weeks.

Stunned police found a man with a gun tucked in the waistband of his trousers and another man with loaded pistol in his car during a blitz on criminals driving through Birmingham.

Motorcycle police stopped the men during a month-long blitz using sophisticated computer technology to scan car registration plates and flag up suspicious incidents.

One driver was arrested for having a vehicle on false plates but as officers searched through the car they found a loaded firearm.

In a separate occasion, another man was found with a handgun in his trouser waistband.