THIEVES stole lead from the roof of a private home – while the occupants were inside the house.

Now Kathleen Scahill has warned people of the lengths thieves will go to after she discovered the lead flashing had been stolen during the night.

Mrs Scahill, who lives in Rannoch Drive, Cherry Tree, Blackburn, with her husband, Terry, said: “At about 3.15am I heard some tapping, but I didn’t know what it was. I didn’t realise it was our property.

“My husband went outside to have look, so we must have disturbed them. He thought he saw something further down the street and came back to bed.”

Mrs Scahill said they were unaware of the damage until a painter gave them a quote for some work on the house.