SIX inmates at a young offenders' institution have admitted staging a riot that was brought to an end by a specialist squad using stun grenades.

The teenagers face lengthy sentences for the seven-hour siege, which left the institution chapel in ruins and two members of staff injured.

Furniture was smashed and walls were damaged during the disturbance at Deerbolt, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, in February.

The six inmates - all from the North-West - are thought to have rioted because they were unhappy about being locked up so far from home.

Teesside Crown Court judge Michael Taylor has warned the teenagers they will be sent back to custody when they are sentenced later this month.

All six have admitted a charge of prison mutiny, and have been remanded in custody until September 27 while pre-sentence reports are prepared by probation workers.

Nathan Walters, 19, from Manchester, was yesterday the last of the gang to enter a guilty plea, after missing court on Monday because a neighbour and close friend had been the victim of a shooting the previous day.

Judge Taylor told him: "I will be sentencing you in three weeks' time and remanding you in custody as a custodial sentence looks inevitable."

On Monday, Zico Reid, 18, and Desmond Noonan, 19, admitted the charge, while Carlos Buller, Nathan Hogg and Ramone Brown, all aged 18, pleaded guilty at earlier hearings.

The inmates barricaded themselves in the chapel following a Sunday service, and one of them sent a note to staff claiming they had a hostage.

The prison chaplain, Reverend Daniel Hartley, had his hand injured by a chair leg and a prison officer received a cut to the ear.

The siege ended when the "tornado team" from Doncaster pushed 18 stun grenades through the chapel windows and stormed the building.