POLICE are appealing for witnesses after thieves used a ladder to climb up and attack an alarm system before breaking into a house in Edgworth.

A safe, containing personal documents, was stolen in the break-in which happened overnight on Sunday at the house close to Moorside Road.

A quad bike was also stolen from an outbuilding attached to the property but it was later recovered in a nearby field at the junction of Blacksnape Road.

DC Chris Shaw of Darwen CID said: "We would appeal to anyone who saw a man up a ladder tampering with an alarm, perhaps assuming at the time it was being fixed, to come forward because they were actually attacking it to break in.

"The safe was about two foot square which makes us think a vehicle was used.

"Residents in rural areas of Darwen should be aware of cars they do not recognise stopping off.

"They should take notice of what they do.

"People living in these rural areas need to be vigilant."

DC Shaw said the break-in was not being linked to a series of jewellery thefts in rural areas of Darwen in recent weeks, for which a police operation is currently ongoing.