A LEIGH woman wants criminals to be put in stocks and publicly ridiculed.

Mum of two Dawn Parkinson woke one morning to find the door of her husband, Karl's, Ford Fiesta wide open, outside their Wigshaw Close home.

A boxing bag left inside had been taken along with a gold cross and chain, a white-gold wedding ring and a Bolton Wanderer's watch, all belonging to fitness instructor Karl.

Dawn said: "We thought it had been kids and that was it, we wouldn't see the jewellery again."

But just hours later as Dawn was walking near to Leigh library in the town hall square she saw three youths, one of whom was wearing a cross and chain identical to Karl's.

She said: "I went up to him and I asked him if I could have a look at it. He asked me if I liked it and I asked him where he had got it from."

Dawn noticed one of his companions was wearing what appeared to be Karl's watch. Outraged, Dawn, grabbed his wrist and began shouting for help, but the three youths ran off.

Nursing assistant Dawn gave chase and was soon joined by police officers in the pursuit. Police chased the men round the town centre, into Bradshawgate, then into the Spinning Gate Shopping Centre.

The incident has left Dawn so incensed that she wants to start a petition going calling for stocks to be re-installed, where passers-by could pelt rotten vegetables at offenders for a week.

She thinks the medieval form of punishment would be far more effective and cheaper than prison sentences, which cost tax payers millions.

Det Sgt Bill Nelson confirmed the police had been called: "There were a number of vehicles broken into in Pennington in the early hours of Friday April 19, which is quite unusual for that area.

He added: "I cannot really envisage stocks in today's current climate. I think her comments have been borne out of frustration."