A former British champion boxer from Bellingham has been cleared of selling his old shorts and gloves to raise funds to join ISIS in Syria.

Anthony Yardley Small, of Southend Lane, was found not guilty of disseminating terrorist publications and supporting a proscribed group after a two-month trial at the Old Bailey.

The 33-year-old was arrested after two others, Michael Coe and Simon Keeler, were found with false documents in the back of a lorry in Dover on November 30 last year.

All three were found not guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts after the jury deliberated for nearly 50 hours.

Small and Coe were also cleared of conspiracy to possess false identity documents with improper intention.

But Coe and Keeler, from east London, have already admitted a separate charge of possessing false documents and will be sentenced at a later date.

During the trial, the court was told Small had listed several pairs of his old boxing gloves on eBay and an ‘exclusive’ pair of Adidas boxing boots.

The former British and Commonwealth light middleweight champion planned to sell the items to raise money to get to Syria, the court heard.

The prosecution has until Friday to decide whether to pursue a final charge against Small of supporting a terrorist organisation, which the jury could not agree on.

Jurors were told a hand-held sword and an image of the British Isles covered by an ISIS flag were among the items found by police at his home address.