Two members of a violent gang, who mugged victims for their Rolex watches, followed a woman from London back to her home in Norfolk to steal her car and jewellery.

The victim in her 50s was attacked when she stopped outside Hingham Fish Bar to get some chips, unaware the gang had followed her along the A11 after targeting her valuable Rolex watch, Norwich Crown Court was told.

Freddie Aguis, 27, from Hackney, London, and Shane Johnson, 28, of no fixed address, had gone on trial for the Hingham robbery on March 13, last year and for two other robberies of Rolex watches including a £25,000 Rolex watch stolen in Loughton, Essex.

The trial had just started when both defendants dramatically changed their pleas to guilty on all charges.

Their sentencing was adjourned until March 4 when a third man, John Weaver, 33, from London, will also be sentenced for his part.

Matthew Sorel-Cameron, prosecuting, told how Aguis and Johnson were members of the gang who targeted lone members of the public wearing Rolex watches worth many thousands of pounds.

He said: "On each occasion the Rolex watch was taken forcibly from them. They appear to have been targeted because they were wearing these very expensive and most desirable Rolex watches. These two defendants along with others carried out these targeted robberies."

In the Norfolk robbery, the woman had no idea she had been followed from London by the gang, who were in a stolen Audi car.

The victim was grabbed from behind when getting into her car and had a gloved hand placed over her mouth before she was taken to the ground.

She called out for help but was told to shut-up and rings were pulled from her fingers and her Rolex snatched,

Her keys to her Mercedes car were taken and her car was stolen, leaving her helpless on the ground.

Mr Sorel-Cameron said the victim was left shaken and upset and could only give a description of two of the men involved but not much detail as their faces were covered and it was dark.

He said there was also CCTV footage of the robbery, which was taken from a camera outside the bakery, in Hingham.

Mr Sorel-Cameron said police tried to stop the gang as they drove back to London, but while the Audi used in the robbery got away they did eventually manage to stop the stolen Mercedes car, which had been fitted with false number plates.

He said that a few days later the gang carried out two more robberies involving Rolex watches.

The second victim had been out in Loughton for a meal and had driven home when he was struck by a car and chased down before having his Rolex worth £25,000 stolen.

In the third robbery the victim, who had been out in London, was also followed back to his home in Belbroughton, Worcester, and was beaten with a baseball bat and made to hand over his Rolex watch.

Aguis was arrested on April 17 last year, but it was not until June, last year that Johnson was arrested.