SEVEN people admitted dealing diamorphine -­ the chemical name for heroin ­- to undercover police officers in Ellesmere Port in April, May and June last year.

Paul Morgan, 30, of Langley Court, Wolverham, and Michael Reilly, 30, of Livingstone Street, Birkenhead, both admitted conspiracy to supply the Class A drug. They were both jailed for five years.

Thomas Clarke, 31, of Queens Gardens, Whitby, admitted six counts of being concerned in supplying drugs. He got eight months in jail.

Husband and wife Denise Bradley, 39, and Kevin Bradley, 35, of Princes Road, both admitted being concerned in supplying drugs. Neither attended court and a warrant was issued for their arrest.

Patrick Bailey, 38, of West Road, Wolverham, admits being concerned in the supply of drugs. He did not attend and a warrant was also issued for his arrest.

Maureen Colclough, 45, from Park Road, Ellesmere Port, admitted being knowingly concerned in the supply of a controlled drug to another.

She was given a conditional discharge.

Prosecutor Robert Trevor-Jones told Chester Crown Court: 'There was a test purchase operation in Ellesmere Port involving undercover officers to disrupt the supply of diamorphine.

'Reilly and Morgan were substantially involved in the supply of that drug in that area and worked together for that end.

'But they adopted a very cautious approach and would only deal with people they knew.

'Undercover officers made successive attempts to deal with them but failed. So the officers were forced to deal with the remaining defendants.'

Police used them to get to Morgan and Reilly, the court heard.

'Clarke or Colclough phoned them and said the undercover officers were acceptable to deal with.

'An order was then placed and the delivery of drugs was made to police very rapidly, usually in the town centre,' added Mr Trevor-Jones.

He said Clarke, who was not an addict himself, spoke of dealing drugs to other people as well as undercover police.

Colclough became involved near the end of the undercover operation because of her relationship with Bailey.

Mr Trevor-Jones said the Bradleys and Bailey are 'clear drug users'.

When getting the drugs for officers, they got a line of heroin or a 'wrap' for themselves.

The group was arrested on June 19.

A mobile phone was found in a Ford Mondeo of theirs and Morgan found with a plastic bag containing 22 'wraps' of heroin.

Defence solicitor Robin Boag, for Morgan, said he had not supplied drugs to anyone other than regular addicts.

Gordon Cole, for Reilly, said his client was not a 'drugs wholesaler'.

James Rae, for Clarke, said: 'The police gave the impression to him they were heroin addicts needing a fix, so he acted out of sympathy.'

Judge Roger Dutton praised officers who infiltrated the drugs gang and disrupted the supply of 'the evil drug heroin'.

He said: 'This was an excellent police operation.'