THIEVES made a getaway on a sit-on lawn mower after stealing it from the Blunsdon House Hotel.

The mower and other gardening equipment worth £8,000 were taken in the raid at 5am on Friday.

The crooks broke into an outbuilding at the back of the hotel car park then left the scene in a grey Metro, with one of them following behind on the ride-on grass cutter.

The Metro had been stolen from Swindon on May 17. Anyone with information should contact Highworth police on 0845 408 7000.