A manager of an Avonmouth tyre firm stole thousands of pounds from the company safe – then made up a burglary to cover his tracks.

Christopher Stone, 38, was one of two key-holders at Mike Knight Tyres but used his position of responsibility to sneak into the premises in the early hours and raid the safe.

The married dad-of-two, of Allison Road, Brislington, admitted theft at Bristol Magistrates Court.

Prosecuting, Andrea Edwards said Stone called police to report a burglary at the business in St Andrew's Road at 2.30am on May 28.

He claimed he had been called by Cannon Security, who told him the burglar alarm had been activated.

Stone even went as far as saying when he arrived he had found two intruders carrying the safe, confronted and head-butted one of them, suffering a small cut on his head.

The court heard £2,573.35 in cash and £607.51 worth of cheques were stolen.

Police soon discovered no call had been made by Cannon Security.

The only call to Stone's mobile phone, at about 1.30am, had been made from a telephone kiosk in Shirehampton and the caller had hung up when Stone's wife answered his phone.

Ms Edwards said only members of staff would have known the safe's whereabouts, and forensic experts examining the safe, which was bolted down, found it had been patiently unscrewed rather than forced.

The court heard Stone stuck by his story during two police interviews, but eventually admitted his crimes after he was charged.

Stone, who had no previous convictions, was one of two managers and key-holders and had been working for Mike Knight Tyres for 10 years. The money was spent but the cheques were cancelled.

Mitigating, Anna Van Wely said he had been suffering with a "major depressive illness" and had some financial difficulties. "This has absolutely shocked everybody," she added.

Stone has since lost his job and will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court next month.