A BEREAVED man and his brother stole nearly £2,500 worth of flagstones from homes in Kearsley, a court heard.

Karl Davies, aged 43, and Chris Ellis, aged 36, both of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to stealing 35 stones from five properties in Station Road on October 14.

The expensive York stone flags retail for around £70 a stone and the men were planning to sell them on.

Steve Woodman, prosecuting, said: “Police received a call from a resident of the street who had seen these men stealing flagstones.

“The police arrived and saw some stones stacked up on the pavement and they then found keys to a Hyundai where there were more stones in the boot.”

Davies also pleaded guilty to being in possession of an extendable baton.

Mr Woodman added: “There are a number of victim impact statements and there is nothing surprising in there, the victims feel angry that someone would steal stones from their homes.

“One lady thought it was a joke when she opened her curtains.”

Defending, Peter Leather, said: “This begins with Mr Ellis, he has not been in court for 20 years, during that time he has had a relationship with this wife and they have five children.

“But this year has been extremely traumatic, it has been a terrible year as his wife committed suicide in May.

“That has left him as a father of five and he has not coped well. He has become involved with drugs.

“In mid-October he was going through a particularly low period and had been using drugs and he accepts that he decided to turn to steal these stones to sell them for money.

“It wasn’t a particularly sophisticated enterprise, it was done in view of everyone. Mr Davies got drawn in to this foolish enterprise.”

Sentencing of the pair was adjourned until December 14 for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.