Woman FURIOUS after thieves dig up her garden path for its valuable York flagstones

A woman was stunned to wake up and find her garden path had been dug up - targeted by thieves she says for its valuable York stone paving. "Looks like you can't even own a path in Whitefield anymore," she wrote on social media after the overnight theft, which has been reported to police.

Similar thefts from paths or driveways are understood to have been reported in the Unsworth and Tottington areas of Bury.

The woman shared a photograph with the Manchester Evening News of muddy patches where around five or six of her flagstones used to lie.

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The Manchester Evening News has highlighted a number of York stone thefts over the years, with church grounds and private pathways all being targeted. Thieves ripped up and stole flags from outside Grade I-listed St Mary's Church in Prestwich two years ago.

The woman, 45, lives on London Street in Whitefield and the communal pathway runs between houses.

She said she wanted to speak out to warn other residents in the area, claiming thieves were 'doing the rounds' and other thefts of flagstones had been reported.

"On the same night I looked on Facebook groups and there were other people saying that they had been done," said the mum-of-two. "These people are clearly doing the rounds so I just want people to be aware, really."

She said the flagstones stolen had been down for around 70 to 80 years, and revealed she has been told the stones can fetch a price of around £160 per square metre. "I just want people to know it's going on," she added. "And if there is an ounce of conscience with the people who have done this.

"I woke up on Monday morning to find it had happened. Half the pathway