A MAN who turned to selling drugs to clear debts was yesterday jailed for 18 months.

Police found almost 900 ecstasy tablets and cannabis resin when they raided the home of 25-year-old Geoffrey Hayton.

Hayton told detectives he was holding 800 of the pills for an un-named dealer and had planned to sell some to solve his financial worries.

The cannabis could have made him as much as £320, while the ecstasy could have brought in £5,280.

Rod Hunt, in mitigation, said: "What he thought was an easy way out of his debt was, of course, the hardest way he could have chosen."

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox, told Hayton: "I see that you have been a drug user for quite some time.

"That is one thing, but you have moved on in a stupid attempt to get out of debt by getting into the clutches of those who are mainstream players."

Tom Mitchell, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court that police raided Hayton's flat in Dene Square, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, on July 2.

They found the drugs in flowerbeds, windowboxes and cupboards. Hayton pleaded guilty to possessing class A drugs with intent to supply, and possessing class C drugs with intent to supply.