Painting worth thousands stolen from cottage

Two burglaries which took place at the same property in Linchmere, near Haslemere, on the Sussex-Surrey border earlier this month are being investigated by police.

In each case high value property was stolen from a secluded cottage set in rural surroundings.

Thieves first struck between the 3rd and 8th of June, taking a painting worth tens of thousands of pounds from its frame. Called "Hope in Prison", it was painted in 1862 by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones (1833-1898).

The second burglary occurred between the 17th and 20th of June, and saw the theft of more than 40 pieces of silver cutlery and two silver candlesticks.

Detective Constable Pippa Hannard, of the West Sussex Priority Crime Team, said: "We'd like to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in relation to either burglary or who may have other information relating to the thefts."