A teenager unwittingly landed himself in hot water when he bought a crocodile skull online.

The 18-year-old Oakham student's £30 eBay purchase from China had been exported and imported illegally.

The National Wildlife Crime Unit discovered the sale and the teenager received an unannounced visit from Oakham and Barleythorpe beat officer PC Joe Lloyd - who is also a wildlife crime officer.

PC Lloyd told Oakham Nub News: "Through the policing system I was tasked, as wildlife crime officer, with dealing with the importer.

"He is just a young lad of 18 and had bought the skull in good faith.

"He was unaware that certain species require a permit under CITES regulations.

"I turned up on his doorstep, said I'd come for the crocodile skull and explained where he had gone wrong."

PC Lloyd confiscated the skull, which will be destroyed.

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CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, controls the trade in endangered or protected animal or plant species.