FIVE railway contractors, who stole up to £1.5 million worth of track and railway sleepers, have been jailed for a total of 11 years nine months.

Stuart Amphlett, 33, of Whitefield, was sent down for 18 months. He was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday alongside John Burtenshaw, of Stoke Hammond, Terence Doherty, of Warrington, Neil Jones, of Darelston, Nicky Halloran, of Sandwell, Paul Tandon, of Great Barr and Roy Skinner, of Harwich.

They committed the thefts whle while working for sub-contractors Jarvis at Rugby, Warks. Doherty also conspired with Amphlett to steal rail from Manchester Metrolink.