A MAN who made menacing calls to a garden centre after his mum's Mothers' Day flowers weren't delivered was given a six-month conditional discharge by magistrates yesterday.

Gary McKenzie, 37, from Darlington, admitted two counts at South Durham Magistrates' Court of sending offensive and menacing messages by phone.

Jacqueline Gibson, prosecuting, said he rang Elmridge Gardens, in Coniscliffe Road, on March 21, and upset a female staff member. The next day, he swore at a male worker.

"Staff were so distressed about this that they contacted the police," said Miss Gibson. "The defendant was later interviewed and said he was indeed angry."

Graham Hunsley, in mitigation, said McKenzie, of Honeypot Lane, sent flowers from Elmridge Gardens to his 78-year-old mother in Carlisle every birthday and Mothering Sunday.

This year, they told him if he paid an extra £7, the flowers would be guaranteed to arrive on Mothers' Day, but no flowers arrived. He said McKenzie lost his temper when the male worker told him: "There'll always be another year."

Mr Hunsley said: "His mother is 78. He didn't think that was necessarily the case."

In addition to the conditional discharge, McKenzie was ordered to pay £42 costs.