A WEST Midlands man charged with a raid on a Middlewich supermarket changed his plea to guilty at the last minute.

Lee Lloyd, one of three men arrested and charged in connection with the burglary of the Warmingham Lane branch of Tesco Express last October - when £7,000 of cigarettes were stolen - appeared before Knutsford Crown Court on Wednesday.

Lloyd had previously pleaded not guilty to the offence, but in a brief appearance before QC Thomas Teague at Knutsford Crown Court on Wednesday, changed that plea to guilty.

He and two other men were arrested for the offence, which took place on October 18, after police helicopter searches, car and foot patrols and assistance from the Middlewich public.

The other pair, Craig and Richard Howell had already pleaded guilty. Lloyd will join them for sentencing at Knutsford Crown Court on July 26, pending a pre-sentencing report by the probation department.

The judge enlarged the bail restrictions on Lloyd, but assured him that this was to bring his bail in line with the two other men, and that all sentence options remained open.