TWO masked robbers who brandished a sawn-off shotgun at drinkers in a packed club before they made off with thousands of pounds were last night facing lengthy jail sentences.

Peter George Caswell, 52, and Shane Round, 31, were on trial at Teesside Crown Court, where they had denied robbery. Yesterday, they changed their pleas to guilty.

The pair -described as seasoned criminals by police -had denied any involvement in a raid on the Thornaby Ex-Servicemen's Club, in Thornaby, Teesside, in May last year, in which £3,479 was taken from a safe.

The trial had heard how, wearing a balaclava and a motorcycle helmet, the pair burst into the bar and threatened drinkers before holding the single-barrelled shotgun at the head of a steward at the club.

They threatened to shoot Geoffrey Harris and took the money from a safe before they made off in a stolen car.

David Lamb, for Round, of no fixed address, said his client was already serving a ten-year jail sentence for robbery.

Caswell, formerly of Hawthorn Avenue, Middlesbrough, also had a lengthy criminal record. Adrian Dent, for Caswell, said it was not a case of whether he would be jailed, but for how long.

He said his client was anxious to be dealt with as soon as possible.

A third man, Jonathan Caley, from Middlesbrough, had already admitted being the getaway driver, and pleaded guilty to assisting an offender.

He will be sentenced later.

Caswell and Round both also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to commit an offence on May 9 last year.

They were remanded in custody by Judge Peter Bowers, who said they would be sentenced tomorrow.

Detective Sergeant Gareth White, of Stockton CID, said: "These men are seasoned criminals who have been round the block, and the indications are that the weapon they used was loaded.

"We are obviously very pleased that they have time to think about a change of heart and spare the witnesses in the trial the ordeal of giving evidence.

"We hope that their detection will send out a clear message to other criminals not to commit robberies on our patch."