A GETAWAY driver who escaped with six shotguns after the daylight burglary of a country manor house, was jailed yesterday.

Edward O'Neill was only drafted in to act as driver during the raid, in North Yorkshire, at the last minute, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Christine Egerton, prosecuting, said that the 26-year-old from Shildon, County Durham, admitted a charge of burglary shortly before he was due to stand trial.

He and two others planned the raid on East Hall, Middleton Tyas, in February last year. One of the trio was seen with a walkie-talkie, and all three were spotted in the village - at one point even asking a local woman for directions.

Miss Egerton said the three broke into the manor house at about 2pm, while the owner was out of the country, forcing their way in through a first-floor window.

Once inside, they made their way to the gun room, from where they took guns and ammunition, worth £18,025, from a display case.

Miss Egerton said the woman from whom the group had asked for directions, Margaret Hughes, had been suspicious of them and telephoned the police. When officers arrived and spoke to the house's gamekeeper, the burglary was discovered.

Mrs Hughes had noted the car's registration number and O'Neill, of Hylsdon Drive, was traced to Shildon that night. He was chased by police but managed to get away.

His car was recovered and four woollen hats were found in it, two of which revealed glass fragments. The glass matched the manor house window which had been broken during the burglary, said Miss Egerton.

When he was arrested, in North Wales, O'Neill denied involvement in the burglary, claiming he had given two men a lift to Middleton Tyas.

Miss Egerton said only one of the guns had been found.

Jamie Hill, for O'Neill, said his client played a minor role in the incident. He said he had been recruited to act as a driver at the last minute by the real villains after they had been let down.

He said O'Neill was a heroin addict at the time, an addiction he beat after three months.

Judge Peter Armstrong jailed O'Neill for four years and said the sentence would have been longer had he played a bigger part in the crime.