INCIDENTS of night-time sheep rustling and tractor thefts have prompted calls for increased rural police patrols.

A herd of sheep, two Land Rovers and several quad bikes have been stolen from farms in North Yorkshire in the past month.

Horse riding equipment, an off-road motorbike and power tools have also been taken from farms in the Yorkshire Dales and on the North Yorkshire border with County Durham, near Richmond.

Richard Watts, County Durham and North Yorkshire group secretary for the National Farmers' Union, said members had told of £30,000 tractors "disappearing into thin air".

"The situation is getting worse," said Mr Watts. "There is a distinct lack of visible policing in the countryside."

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said farmers were often guilty of neglecting security on their property.

"Year on year we put out warnings and advice for farmers not to leave equipment unsecured and year on year equipment is stolen," he said.

"There is two million acres of land in North Yorkshire and we can't patrol every lane. The days are gone when farmers could leave their tractor or expensive digger in a field overnight and it would still be there the next morning."

Brian Clark, of the Yorkshire branch of the Country Land and Business Association, said: "If people don't report minor crime it doesn't trigger realistic police budgets for rural areas."

Sixteen texel sheep were stolen from a farm in Melsonby, near Richmond, two weeks ago. Farms at Hawes in Wensleydale, Aldbrough St John, near Richmond, Newton-le-Willows, near Bedale, and Marrick in Swaledale, have all been targeted by thieves.