POLICE are hunting four men who broke into a business in the grounds of a historic country manor house wearing balaclavas last night.

Officers received a number of calls to alert them a burglary was in action at engineering company CH2M in Burderop Park, in-between Chiseldon and Wroughton, just after 8.30pm.

Ten minutes later the car carrying the four masked men was traced to Chiseldon heading along the back road towards the village of Ogbourne St George, near Marlborough.

An urgent alert via text and email was sent out by police to residents living nearby to call 999 if a blue ‘04’ reg Audi A4 with the men inside was spotted.

Villagers reported seeing a number of police cars, unmarked cars as well as a police van at Plough Hill and a dog unit during the search.

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: “The suspects were seen wearing balaclavas having broken the lock from a gate at the premises and entered the yard at a business in Burderop Park, Wroughton.

“We received a couple of calls reporting the incident at 8.30pm. Enquiries continue.”

Chiseldon parish councillor Sarah Bowles said the incident follows a number of thefts in the area in recent weeks.

“There has been burglaries on the Burderop estate before and these people wearing balaclavas makes it sound very organised," she said.

"All I know is that CH2M has been bought for development and I don’t know the future of the business. I can’t imagine why they would want to break in.

“It’s quite unnerving because there has been a spate of burglaries in the area and police have been patrolling at the times when they are thought to be taking place.

“Once its steps up from garages and sheds it does frighten people. We have had lots of burglaries over the last 18 months, some to people’s homes while they were inside."

Caroline Brady, chairman of Chiseldon Parish Council, said: “The police are on top of this and investigating. We haven’t had anything like this before.

“What we have been saying in the village, and advice police have given, is everybody to be vigilant, lock doors and windows and keep everything secure.”

Just last week tools worth £10,000 were stolen from Wroughton Parish Council’s storage lock-up in Croft Road.

Parish councillor Holly Woodward said: “There has been a number of burglaries locally in recent weeks. It looks as though some fairly professional people are targeting the area.

“My own personal view is that by wearing balaclavas they are obviously intending to intimidate people and they mean business.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.