Gatwick Airport has been accused of lax security after a job applicant claimed he could have planted bombs in passengers' luggage on the first day of an airport training course.

Ken Fisher, of London Road, Burgess Hill, spoke of his shock at discovering how unvetted job applicants could borrow passes for secure areas and roam unsupervised through Britain's second-largest airport.

He revealed how candidates on a two-week training course could access flight information on the Codeco computer system and cheat in exams.

Revelations of the security lapses have sparked concerns terrorists could use the course to carry out a deadly mission.

Mr Fisher, who was assigned to travel operator First Choice, said he pulled out on day one because he was shocked by the security breaches.

Five days later, he still has a temporary pass which lets him behind the check-in desks.

He said: "On the tour you go to the North Terminal and you go round next to the baggage. You could flick something on there quite easily.

"It was a bit of an eye opener and it made me worried as to how lax security is. I could have been anyone. I just couldn't believe it.

"It was pretty obvious they were just trying to get as many people for the summer as possible. I just want an honest job."

Mr Fisher, who has run Chesterton's delicatessen in High Street, Ditchling, with his parents Robin and Ellen, for six years, applied for the £7-an-hour passenger service agent job with Premier Work Support, which is based at the airport.

The course is run by Swissport, which owns Groundstar, and provides check in and baggage loading services.

Mr Fisher passed an initial test and an interview, in which he had to go through boarding numbers backwards and calculate the 24-hour clock, on May 11. He started work four days later. He said: "On the Monday we had three exams in which they gave us all the answers and everyone looked at each other's papers.

"They are quite important things and you really should pass the tests for a reason."

Applicants pay £20 for security clearance and two references.

But they are allowed to shadow check-in staff for the past three days of the course without any security clearance.

Darren Liebman, director of Premier Work Support, said Mr Fisher's claims were "a whole pack of lies".

He said: "Everything he has been claiming is complete and utter lies.

"Our process is so meticulous at Gatwick. We get five years of both work and personal references.

"People are not allowed to go airside until all those checks are complete."

He added: "I would not put my name to this company if I felt there was any chance someone could have accessed airside. The procedure could not be any more stringent."

An airport spokesman said it stringently follows regulations for the issue of photo ID at airside passes. That involves proof of identity, five years' references and a criminal record check.