A man and a woman have admitted taking staff and customers hostage during a terrifying raid at a chemist's shop in the heart of the Scottish capital.

Russell Irvine and Helen Paterson sparked an armed siege in Edinburgh after detaining victims at Royal Mile Pharmacy in the city's High Street.

During a three-hour ordeal, Irvine, who was high on a cocktail of drink and drugs including heroin, methadone and cocaine, put a Stanley knife close to the throat of pharmacist Peter Tinkler and said: "If you try anything, they all die."

Irvine, 32, and his partner Paterson, 33, both took morphine tablets and drank vodka in the shop, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.

Irvine claimed to police he used to be a soldier and told them: "You've ruined my life. You've taken my child away."

His accomplice Paterson shouted at officers; "Just f***ing shoot me then."

Irvine, of Abbey Lane, and Paterson, of Carrick Knowe Loan, both Edinburgh, admitted abducting and assaulting Mr Tinkler, employees Diane Keenan and Sandra Carr and customers Kaya McQueen, who was five months pregnant, Paula Gordon and Mahinder Singh-Landa and robbing the premises of medication on May 15 this year.

Three of the victims had their hands bound with carrier bags and tights.

At one stage Irvine took the lid off a bottle of isopropyl alcohol and poured it in a line at the door of the premises, telling police that if they came in he would set the building on fire.

The stand-off was ended after Paterson collapsed because of the drink and drugs she had taken and police entered a back door and used Taser stun guns on Irvine.

Footage of the ordeal was captured on CCTV cameras and excerpts were shown to the judge, Lord Doherty.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice, QC, told the court: "The victims were subjected to a three-hour ordeal at the hands of the accused, during which time they were detained against their will, assaulted by knives being brandished at them, tied up and threatened with violence.

"From witness accounts of what the accused said during the incident, it appears to have been triggered by the fact that the accused Paterson's baby was removed from her care and both accuseds' desire to commit suicide," he said.

"Mr Tinkler states that he was fear for his own life and the lives of the staff and customers and being in fear of the two accused killing themselves," he said.

The prosecutor added: "Sandra Carr states that she was terrified and fearful that the accused were going to 'slice someone'."

"Diane Keenan also describes being terrified for her life, shaking and hanging on to Sandra Carr. She describes the incident as being a 'total nightmare' and she was scared to go back to the shop," he said.

Mr Prentice said Irvine and Paterson were in a relationship at the time of the crime. Paterson had given birth in March but the child was placed in care because of her drug and drink misuse.

Sentence was deferred on Irvine, who has previous convictions for assault and possession of an offensive weapon, and Paterson for the preparation of reports. Both remain in custody.