WATCH out for travelling gangs of workmen who are ripping up and stealing expensive stone flags from streets in broad daylight.

The cheeky things are posing as council workmen, sporting yellow bibs.

The hard-faced thieves lifted more than 30 metres of York stone from a Bolton Street after taping off the area.

They looked so official, residents didn't bother to query the work.

They should have, because now instead of looking out on classy flags, they are lumbered with a horrible black asphalt replacement.

It just goes to show that it pays to keep an eye on workmen. If they're working on your front, ask them nicely what they're doing and, if in doubt, call the council or police.

These flags are in demand - there's always ads for them in the wanted section of newspapers.

So if you've got them, like me, and the Lowton woman who woke up to find her garden path had vanished, keep a watchful eye out. I hate the thought of the alternative.