BURGLARS have escaped with a rare piece of agricultural equipment from a farm near Colne.

Intruders broke into an outbuilding off Smithy Lane, Whitemoor, Foulridge, sometime between 2.45pm on Wednesday, October 30, and 7.30am the following day.

Police say a red and yellow hydraulic log splitter, with a large screw bit, was taken. A police spokesman said: “This is believed to be a rare piece of equipment.

The thieves went to considerable lengths to steal it, having to detach it from the digger arm and manhandle it out ofthe building via a hole made in the breeze block at the rear, and peeling back the steel cladding.”

Witnesses, call 101, quoting log 215 of October 31.