FORMER Bishop's Frome resident Michael Hancocks has admitted conspiracy to defraud cider firm Bulmers.

Hancocks, 63, of Hafod Road, Hereford, pleaded guilty at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday.

The move follows a guilty plea last July by Paul Harris, of Harpersfield, Kings Caple, to a charge of conspiracy to contaminate HP Bulmers' products.

The court heard a statement from Hancocks in which he said he "merely wanted to achieve a degree of nuisance value" but did not intend to spoil a product that would leave the Bulmers' site.

The statement has not been accepted by the prosecution which is expected to outline its case on Monday when the case resumes.

Yesterday (Thursday) a third defendant Richard Gay, 50, of Tyseley, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to a charge of being in possession of material to be used to make it appear cider produced by Bulmers had been interfered with.