TWO men who stole charity collection boxes from a fish and chip shop they burgled have both been jailed.

Edward Watson and Kenneth Ross were said to be responsible for a spate of burglaries in Helmsley after they became stranded overnight in the North Yorkshire town following a day trip to the coast.

The hapless duo, who both have previous convictions for burglary and other offences, had an accident in a car Ross had been driving, damaging its tyres, and then tried and failed to steal wheels from other vehicles in order to get back on the road.

Watson, 22, of Sunnyside Avenue, Shildon, went on to commit four burglaries overnight on September 14 last year while in Helmsley and his co-accused Ross, of Kirkstone Place, Newton Aycliffe, jointly two.

This included the fish and chip shop burglary, in which the charity boxes were taken, and a raid on the Faversham Arms pub in which drinks and electronic equipment was stolen.

Watson also admitted aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving without a licence and insurance and failing to report an accident, which arose from the theft of a white Citroen van in Elmfield Terrace, Darlington, on July 14.

Three days later Watson was seen driving the van in Shildon and doing wheel spins in it, prosecutor Sam Faulks told Teesside Crown Court.

An hour later it was involved in a collision in St John’s Road, Shildon, when it “barged past” two other vehicles and shunted one of them, a Mini, off the road.

The Mini required £7,000 worth of repairs while a Peugeot car was also written off.

Both driver and passenger ran off, but Watson was later arrested after being picked out in a police identity parade.

Laurie Scott, mitigating for Watson, said he accepted his driving “fell well below the usual standards”. She referred to a report which said he was at high risk of re-offending and lacked decision making skills.

Jonny Walker, for 29-year-old Ross, said he was an epilepsy sufferer who was attempting to turn his life around.

He said he had reverted to type during his “misadventure” in Helmsley.

Recorder Peter Pimm said the theft of the charity boxes had been despicable and mean.

He jailed Watson for 876 days, while Ross received a one year, three week sentence in custody.