Meat stolen during plant break-in

Thieves took meat worth more than £2,000 when they broke into a Tyneside meat processing plant.

The animal carcases, weighing more than 800kg, were stolen from Whitley Bay Meat Supply Company Ltd, in Burradon Road, Annitsford, overnight on Tuesday.

Among the items taken were two sides of beef and a pig.

Northumbria Police said they were checking with restaurants or pubs in the area to see if anyone had offered them meat.

Police said the thieves used meat trolleys and got away using a track through bushes to a road.

Det Ch Insp Mick Paterson said: "This was a large scale theft and the thieves must have had transport available to take the meat away."

He said the meat might also be cut down and sold to individuals.

He warned about the risk of food poisoning from meat that was not kept in sanitary or refrigerated conditions.