A MAN who fired a gunshots during a siege at an Upton pub has pleaded guilty to firearm offences.

Seventy police officers - some of them armed - rushed to the King's Head after Timothy Bayliss began firing a Winchester 12-bore shotgun on July 20.

Bayliss was arrested after intense negotiations lasting six hours.

At Worcester Crown Court on Monday, the 37-year-old from Stratford Bridge, near Tewkesbury, admitted possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence to pub customer Darren Lilley.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of a gun while committing criminal damage and causing criminal damage.

Remanding Baylis in custody for psychiatric and pre-sentence reports, Recorder David Mason observed that the crime was "a cry for help" at a time of significant personal issues in Bayliss's life.

But he said he could give no promises over the eventual sentence for such "a serious matter".

Bayliss, a divorced father-of-four, ran a tyre fitting business before failing health caused by diabetes forced him to give it up.

He had broken up with a girlfriend shortly before the siege, during which a number of shots were fired at fixtures and fittings. No-one was injured.

Lee Marklew, defending, said Bayliss did not accept that he pointed the shotgun at Mr Lilley, although he intended people to comply with his instructions.

"It is a very unhappy picture," he added.

"The defendant suffers from real health problems which have caused him to have partial eyesight. He has not been at all well in prison, due to problems with his medication."

Prosecutor Nicolas Cartwright said Bayliss, a man of previous good character, had threatened to kill himself during the incident.

Sentence was adjourned until November 7.