Burton Mail chief reporter David Powles found himself filing a shock report - literally – when he launched a two-month investigation into a potentially deadly trade in illegal stun guns.

After managing to get his hands on one of the banned weapons, he decided to try out the powerful battery charged two-pronged prod.

But the gun backfired sending a sharp electric shock up his hand and arm.

David says he was lucky to escape with a temporary and painful paralysis - but says others may not be so lucky.

Twenty-five-year-old David, who has been the Mail's chief reporter for the last ten months, was tipped off about the guns by a contact at B & Q's Distribution Depot in Branston.

He said that the weapons, which look like an electric torch, were being smuggled into the country by an Albanian immigrant employed as a warehouse operative.

The dealer was selling them to order to centre staff and taxi drivers who are buying them for self-defence.

Following a meeting with the man he alerted the police – who led a raid on three terrace houses in the town – with David and a photographer in tow.

The man at the centre of the investigation escaped – though two men were arrested on public order offences.

The exclusive led to a front page splash and two inside pages of copy on Friday and a second splash on Saturday.

David told HoldtheFrontPage: "I couldn't have done it without my contact – and the news editor Steve Doohan. He gave me the space and time to follow up the story until we were in a position to go to the police.

"The guns, which can disable a man, are not illegal abroad, but they are illegal here.

"They are sold as a form of self defence – but they are also being used by criminals to disable their victims.

"This is a story that makes a difference. I hope some good will come of it."