A MOTHER has spoken of her shock after she woke up to find her path had been stolen.

Lauren Nichols had a pathway of York Stone, leading up to her home in Turton Road in Bromley Cross.

However she woke, on December 1, to find that the expensive stone had been stolen by thieves.

The mother-of-two said: "It was afternoon by the time I had realised it had gone.

"I opened the door to go out with the kids and there was no path.

"I was gob smacked.

"I couldn't believe it

"I just felt like crying."

The flagstones appear to be becoming more and more sought after by thieves.

In October ten paving flags at the front of St Thomas the Apostle Church in Eskrick Street, Halliwell, were lifted.

Miss Nichols added: "We rent the house so we have had to contact the landlord to tell her it had been stolen and see if we can get it replaced.

"You just don't expect to open the door and find you have no path.

"It has been a nightmare because we have a newborn daughter and we can't push the pram over it so it has been difficult to get in and out."

Miss Nichols, who has two daughters a two-year-old and 12-week-old reported the crime to police.

However due to their being no CCTV in the area or witnesses she received a letter from police to say the case had been closed.

She added: "Someone else on Turton Road has had their path stolen the other night as well, so I think they have come back to do others.

"We think ours happened at about 1.30am.

"I was up doing a night feed with the baby at that time but when I spoke to my neighbour they heard a van door shutting at about that time.

"They said it sounded like a van door sliding closed.

"I thought the baby had just woken up for a feed but that might have woken her up.

"We have just had someone come out to assess the path for it to be replaced."