A chef who plotted to blow up a restaurant at Gatwick Airport was today told he faced a "very long prison sentence."

A jury at Lewes Crown Court unanimously found Jose Pestana guilty of possessing explosives with intent to endanger life.

Pestana, 41, a Portuguese national from the island of Madeira, sparked a major security alert when the devices were found by police searching his flat, two miles from the airport.

The makeshift bombs, made from firework powder wrapped in newspaper and taped to gas canisters, were hidden in a secret compartment in a sofa at his home in Langley Parade, Langley Green, Crawley, in March.

People living and working nearby were evacuated and an Army bomb disposal unit was called in.

During the five-day trial the prosecution accused Pestana of planning to bomb Garfunkels in the South Terminal in a revenge attack.

He had become obsessed with a personal grievance against the firm after he had to quit his job following an accident.

But he denied planning an attack. He told the jury he made the devices to use as fireworks to celebrate Christmas and New Year.

The court heard police discovered the bombs by chance after Pestana was arrested on suspicion of illegally using electricity at the three-bedroom maisonette he shared with two Portuguese flatmates, Moises de Sousa and Joao Cabrita.

Pestana was carrying a letter to an immigration officer outlining his grievance and setting out veiled threats.

It stated: "If you don't help me I will become a terrorist".

During the search of his home a detective lifted a sofa where Pestana slept and was startled to discover the explosives.

Pestana and his flatmates were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Mr de Sousa and Mr Cabrita told police Pestana had talked constantly day and night about his treatment after he injured finger at work when he slipped on a wet floor carrying a stack of plates.

He received £22,500 compensation but he told his friends he should have got £1 million.

He told them he had made bombs to attack Garfunkels and kill the manager.

Pestana, speaking through an interpreter told the jury his friends had misunderstood him.

Pestana was remanded in custody until October 27. Judge David Rennie said: "You have been convicted of an extremely serious explosive charge which carries a very long prison sentence.

"Before deciding how long to send you to prison I need the help of a psychiatrist to decide if you pose a risk to the public and to Garfunkels restaurant and staff."