A pensioner has admitted sending packages containing weedkiller to Tony Blair and his family.

Shirley Freed, of Potters Mead, Littlehampton, posted letters to 10 Downing Street marked for the attention of Mr Blair, his wife Cherie and son Euan, but they were intercepted at a mail centre.

Brighton Magistrates' Court was told yesterday that in one package addressed to Euan, the 72-year-old sent weedkiller and wrote a note "suggesting that his father was a war criminal for murdering thousands of Iraqi babies".

Freed wrote: "The sins of the fathers shall be visited on the children - your scripture."

A month later, in June last year, she posted a letter to Mrs Blair which contained sodium chloride, sodium chlorate and sugar, newspaper cuttings and a note stating: "With the compliments of the Red Lion Boys."

In September she sent Mr Blair an A4 envelope with several envelopes inside.

They were addressed to Mr Blair, Gordon Brown, Hazel Blears, David Blunkett and former Asbo adviser Louise Casey. Each contained a powder mix of sugar, starch, boron and herbicide.

The parcel also contained newspaper cuttings and the note: "Blair we are watching you, be very afraid, be very afraid. Oliver's Army."

Freed pleaded guilty to five charges of carrying out hoaxes under Section 114 (1B and 3) of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

The charges state that the packages were sent from Sussex, "intending to induce in a person...a belief that it is likely to be, or contain, a noxious substance...and thereby endanger human life or create a serious risk to human health".

Manjula Nayee, prosecuting, told the court that when the "threatening and vicious"

letters were intercepted at Nine Elms Mail Centre in south London they were believed to be dangerous.

Explosives officers were called in and the building was evacuated.

Police later tracked Freed to her home through samples of her DNA collected from the packages. When interviewed Freed admitted sending the letters. Officers found a "kit" of scissors, glue, Sellotape and some stamped letters ready to be posted.

Freed was released on conditional bail to appear at a crown court on a date to be set.