A children's party was in full swing at a house in Lydney when police arrived at the premises and found allegedly found a stash of drugs and £5,360 in cash hidden in the back garden, a court heard last Friday (October 8).

Cheltenham Magistrates were told that police visited the address in Station road on an unrelated matter on September 10th last year and found Alan Ballinger, 26, from Coniston Road, Lydney, in attendance.

A search was made of the Station Road garden and a JD Sports bag belonging to Ballinger was found in a thorny hedge, it was alleged.

Prosecutor May Li said: "The Crown say that inside the sports bag was another bag containing several packets of cocaine which had a street value of £4,000 to £5,500, along with £5,360.15 in cash.

"Additionally, near to this sports bag, the police found two mobile phones that are alleged to belong to Mr Ballinger.

"An analysis of the phones revealed that they had been used for dealing Class A drugs."

Mr Ballingeris charged with supplying a quantity of cocaine to others unknown between August 28 and September 6, 2020 in Lydney and between September 2 and September 5, 2020, also in Lydney. He did not indicate his pleas to the charges.

Presiding justice Sally Ward stated that the magistrates declined jurisdiction in the case and sent it to Gloucester Crown Court.

Mr Ballinger was released on unconditional bail to appear at the Crown Court on November 5, 2020.