A PENSIONER'S self-styled social club where pals enjoyed card games and cannabis came to an abrupt end when police raided his premises.

And yesterday, in the same week as 65-year-old Brandis Ewing qualified for his pensioner's bus pass, he also received a 15-month prison sentence.

Ewing, of Palin Close, and his wife Joyce, 46, of Charlebury Road, both in Middlesbrough, admitted possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply, when they appeared at Teessside Crown Court.

Dan Cordey, prosecuting, told the court how the two premises at Palin Close and Charlbury Road were searched by police on August 16 last year.

He said the officers discovered 1.4kg of cannabis with a street value of about £5,000, £6,800 in cash, weighing scales and a quantity of plastic bags.

Tom Mitchell, defending Ewing, said the defendant was of previous good character and had become an official senior citizen only three days ago.

Mr Mitchell said his client had only supplied the cannabis to his pals, who attended regular card games at his home.

He said Ewing did not even use the drug because he was an asthma sufferer.

The cannabis was exclusively for his friends, said Mr Mitchell.

The court was told that Joyce Ewing, who suffers from a serious heart condition and is also of previous good character, regretted that she had not told her husband to remove the drugs from the house.

She received a two year community rehabilitation order.

The judge ordered the forfeit of the money found on the premises and the destruction of the drugs.