Police are urging drivers to be vigilant of their cars being stolen during the frosty weather.

Vehicles left unattended whilst defrosting are an easy target for opportunist thieves, so police are advising motorists to stay with their vehicles or turn the engine off and lock the door.

This warning comes after a Range Rover Vogue was stolen from an address in Waddington during the middle of the night.

The Met Office has issued a yellow ice warning for Lancashire due to the frosty weather which is likely to cause come injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces.

The ice and freezing weather will cause issues with icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths so, in addition to being vigilant of theft, it’s vital that motorists are also careful whilst driving.

A spokesperson for Ribble Valley Police said: “The recent cold dry weather makes a nice change from the wet grey days/weeks we've recently had, but we ask motorists to be vigilant on frosty nights/mornings, if you have to de-ice your vehicle windscreen.

“Of course, it's vital that vehicle windscreens are defrosted properly making sure the driver has good, all-round visibility. However, we ask for vehicle owners to remain vigilant and either stay with your vehicle while defrosting it or use a scraper and de-icer to de-frost your vehicle.

“There are opportunist thieves on the lookout for a 'free' vehicle, watching and waiting for that split second you go back indoors, so they can drive away, so please don't risk it.

“If you are unfortunate enough to have your vehicle stolen whilst it is de-frosting and you just popped back into the house for a minute, be mindful, your insurance company will more than likely not pay out, if you make a claim for the theft.”