POLICE are warning owners of horse trailers to be on their guard following a series of thefts.

A trailer stolen from allotments in Ferryhill at the weekend was the sixth similar offence in about a year in the Sedgefield police division.

About two dozen other trailers have also been stolen in the same period, prompting police to encourage owners to take all possible security precautions.

The latest theft happened early on Sunday morning.

A burgundy Ifor Williams trailer was stolen from the Merrington Lane allotments in Ferryhill.

Several locks were burned through to reach the trailer, which could cost up to £4,000 to replace.

Police said all of the horse trailers stolen over the past year were custom-made and have their own chassis numbers which are circulated to forces around the country in case they turn up.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: "Owners might need to think about putting hidden marks on these trailers, either on the metal frame or somewhere else where they would not be seen by the thief or thieves.

"This is a way of identifying them when they are seized by police officers who might suspect they have been stolen.

"People should also consider buying locks to make sure they are made as secure as they can be, because if they are left in isolated areas that affords determined thieves the time to work on them and steal the vehicle."

He said the same advice, which could also include taking a photograph of the vehicle, applied to all trailers.

"I think it's safe to assume that horse boxes may appear to be an attractive target for people who are not necessarily stealing to order, but have a market for them," he said.