Bewdley Town FC's stolen gear is found

A £6,000 haul of equipment stolen from a football club raided by thieves eight times in seven months has been recovered by police - just in time for the start of the new season.

A sit-on lawnmower and trailer stolen from Bewdley Town FC's ground, in Ribbesford, in July, will now be returned to the volunteer-run club.

Officials have had to cancel planned improvement works to the grounds after the spate of thefts left them out of pocket to the tune of more than £5,000. Insurance payouts are still awaited.

They said recovery of the lawnmower, only purchased a fortnight before it was taken, was a relief as outside contractors were presently being brought in to maintain the grounds at further cost.

The items were recovered after they were bought by a Droitwich man, who became suspicious after reading reports of the stolen goods.

Police said the man had purchased the Husqvarna ride-on mower and the Charley Lawrence trailer from three men who had claimed to be landscape gardeners.

He only saw the reports of the thefts after he had bought the goods and immediately contacted police.

The three men who sold the items are all described as white and in their early 30s. They drove a blue Nissan Nivara pick-up truck.

Police want anyone else who is suspicious of an approach to buy goods to call 0300 333 3000.