A COUNCILLOR fears he was deliberately targeted by burglars.

Thieves smashed a window to break into an office at County Hall, Durham, used by Independent county councillor John Shuttleworth.

They emptied his filing cabinet and left papers scattered on the floor. The only item stolen was a bottle of Calvin Klein aftershave.

Coun Shuttleworth said orange juice had been poured down the back of a computer monitor, but other electrical equipment was untouched.

The intruders did not disturb cabinets used by two Liberal Democrat councillors who share the office.

Coun Shuttleworth, who represents Weardale, said: "I have upset a lot of people and it is as if somebody was looking for something specific. It is bizarre.

"If it were just kids surely they would go through everything and look in the other filing cabinets that are in there.

"The problem is that I probably won't know whether something is missing until I need it."

Coun Shuttleworth says burglars must have known the layout of the building before the break-in, which was discovered at 7.30am on Tuesday.

Police are investigating.