A convicted killer armed with a knife and firearm told his former girlfriend he was going to cut her new partner's head off.

Martin McCreadie, 50, went to Mirrors hair salon in Kings Place, Glasgow, where Linda Bullock worked on November 4, 2015.

She entered the salon at around 5pm after being at nearby shops when McCreadie said "hi" to her, before pulling a balaclava over his face and producing the weapons.

He followed her inside the salon and told her: "Tell your f*g boyfriend ah'm going to cut his f*g head off. Phone him, get him down here."

Ms Bullock told McCreadie to go away. The High Court in Glasgow was told the last time she had seen him was in June 2015 and there was no animosity between them.

In 1986 McCreadie and his brother Gary were convicted of killing 27-year-old Charles Madden in Glasgow by stabbing and slashing him 32 times and jailed for 12 years.

Advocate depute Lynsey Rodger said: "In addition to the knife in his right hand, the accused was holding a small black handgun in his left hand. A customer in the shop believed it to be real. The complainer's daughter also saw the gun, and thought it was a toy gun."

The court heard customers and staff pleaded with McCreadie to leave the salon, and he eventually did so after removing his balaclava. The court heard he was drunk and crying.

Ms Rodger said: "He put the knife and handgun into the waistband of his trousers, and walked away." By the time the police attended, the accused had gone.

The following day, the armed response team attended at his home at Fruin Place, Glasgow, and detained McCreadie.

They found knives and a black balaclava, but no gun. McCreadie admitted committing a breach of the peace by presenting a knife and a handgun or imitation handgun at Ms Bullock, and a firearms offence and having an offensive weapon, a knife.

He also pleaded guilty to committing a breach of the peace at Fruin Place, Glasgow on March 9, 2015 and having two knives in his possession.

The court heard McCreadie was working as a driver with WAB Joinery. When he failed to turn up for work, boss William Burrell and labourer Greg Chisholm demanded the work van keys back.

McCreadie threw the keys at them and then re-appeared with two knives, ran at Mr Burrell, who jumped out of the way, and shouted: "You don't know who you're dealing with."

Judge Lord Burns deferred sentence on McCreadie until next month for background reports and an assessment of the risk he poses to the public.