POLICE are appealing for witnesses after £19,000 worth of fuel and equipment was stolen from a farm in Cleobury Mortimer.

The incident happened in the Baveney Lane area between 10pm on Friday and 6.45pm on Saturday.

The offenders broke the lock off a secure farm gate to get into the farmyard. They then broke the locks off seven diesel tanks and removed 10,000 litres of red diesel, worth £8,500, and 2,000 litres of white diesel, worth £2,500.

They also forced roller shutter doors on a workshop and took various hand and power tools, worth £3,000, and stole an Ivor Williams twin axel trailer modified as a tautliner for the delivery of potatoes. The metallic silver trailer, which was sprayed and was unique, was worth £5,500.

PC Andy Noble of West Mercia Police said: “The total value of items stolen is around £19,000, and clearly the offenders would have had a vehicle.

“The farm is in a rural area, but we are appealing for people who saw or heard anything suspicious, or noted any strange vehicles, to contact us.”

Witnesses are asked to ring the non-emergency number 101 quoting incident 189-s-071213 or ring the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.