TWO robbers who struck at a newsagent's shop where one of them sprayed the assistant in the face with a liquid were jailed yesterday.

Robert Ward and Gary Delve targeted the newsagent's in Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, where Ernest Campbell was working alone.

Delve sprayed him in the face while Ward told 54-year-old Mr Campbell that he had a knife.

Yesterday, Ward, 27, of Tyne Street, South Bank, near Middlesbrough, and Delve, 30, of Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, Middlesbrough, appeared before Teesside Crown Court and admitted robbery.

Judge Tony Briggs jailed Ward for six years and Delve for seven years.

Dan Cordey, prosecuting, said Mr Campbell feared he may have been sprayed with acid in the attack last August, but forensic tests failed to identify the substance, said Mr Cordey.

Both men shouted to him to open the till and when Mr Campbell could not manage, Ward claimed he had a knife.

The till was opened and the men made off with cigarettes and about £150, said Mr Cordey.

Chris Baker, for Ward, said that both he and Delve went into the shop but it was not until Delve squirted the liquid into Mr Campbell's face that he realised what was going on and then played a full part.

Christine Egerton, for Delve, said he had been a drug user all his adult life. At the time of the offence his habit was costing him £150 a day for heroin and between £150 and £200 a day for crack cocaine.

Delve claimed the liquid he squirted into Mr Campbell's face was a mixture of water, washing-up liquid and washing powder, said Miss Egerton