HYNDBURN Council's housing department has issued a warning to home owners in the borough after a set of stone slabs were stolen from a council-owned building.

And officers have appealed for the return of their property.

Around 20 Yorkshire stone slabs were taken from the garden wall of a council owned property in Burnley Road, Accrington, last Wednesday afternoon.

Rona Courtney, housing operations manager, said: "The stones are the type that would look very nice on a patio but looked much nicer on our wall.

"We will not be able to replace them and believe this sort of theft is becoming quite fashionable as people steal them to order.

"Owner occupiers should be aware that this is happening in this area and be on the look-out.

"The people who took our stones did it in broad daylight and this proves that if people are cheeky enough they can get away with it.

"Ideally we want our stones returning and if anyone saw anything I would ask them to call the police."

Police confirmed that stones from the rear of the address in Burnley Road had been reported stolen on Wednesday afternoon.