A NELSON man caught with indecent images of children aged as young as six has been ordered to seek help by a crown court judge.

Neil Hannah, 54, claimed he had amassed the collection of 126 pornographic picture because he was lonely and isolated.

And he insisted that his sex drive was virtually zero after suffering a heart attack recently, Burnley Crown Court was told.

But Judge Beverley Lunt heard that the images had been on Hannah's computer since at least 2008, before his home was raided by police last April.

Hannah, of Hallam Road, who admitted to 13 offences of making or possessing indecent images, was given a 20-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Judge Lunt also imposed a sexual harm prevention order, for life, restricting his future use of the internet and insisting he submit any device he uses to police for inspection on request.

Prosecutor Stephen Parker said that 13 of the images seized by police were of the most serious nature, showing sexual abuse, with eight more classified at a less serious grade and the remainder showing youngsters in sexual poses or similar.

Richard Taylor, defending, said his client may have not been forthcoming with police but had opened up to a probation officer regarding his problems, and would welcome help to prevent further offending.