Thieves chop poles to steal cable

Thieves chopped down wooden poles carrying power lines and stole a 120-metre length of copper wire worth £1,500, Wiltshire police said.

As the poles fell they narrowly missed a live 132,000-volt power line at the site at Crouch's Down, Barford St Martin overnight on 14-15 October.

Scottish and Southern Energy are now replacing the overhead 11,000 volt line, between Salisbury & Teffont.

The old copper power line is being replaced by an aluminium one.

Police, who found a burnt-out Ford Escort hatchback in a nearby field, have appealed for witnesses.