An stolen industrial digger was driven on a mile-long journey of destruction over moors before plunging over the edge of a quarry.

The digger was taken from an area close to the Goit river on Lodge Bank in Brinscall in the early hours of Monday, March 8.

It had been left there by contractors working on £65,000 footpath scheme to make the river more accessible.

Chorley police said they believe the digger was taken from the site, which is close to Brinscall baths, at around 2.30am and then driven towards Well Lane before taking to the moors.

Community beat manager for the area, PC Chris Evans, said: “The vehicle smashed through a gate at Brinscall quarry and damaged around 100 metres of fencing.

“The digger was found at the bottom of a 30ft drop within the quarry site. It had landed upside down, crushing the cab section.”

The cost of damage to the gate and fence is put at more than £500 with damage to the vehicle running into thousands.

Moor land was also churned up by tyres as the digger progressed towards the quarry.

PC Evans added: “This was an extremely reckless and dangerous act which put lives at risk.

“The quarry is a very dangerous place with hazardous terrain where health and safety are the primary concerns.

"To behave in this way could have resulted in serious injury.

“The route taken suggests the person who did this had local knowledge because obviously it was dark and they seemed to know the area.”

The quarry, on Twist Moor Lane, is run by Armstrong Aggregates.

Police said that the site was adequately secure prior to the break in.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Wheelton police on 01257 246143.