Lorry loads of trees have been stolen and sold on

Lorry-loads of trees worth thousands of pounds have been stolen by gangs in the past.

Owners have now increased security measures including night time patrols for the holiday season.

Jim Rudderham, forestry and conservation manager at the Elveden estate near Brandon, said: "Obviously, this is the time that we're going to lose Christmas trees if they're going to be stolen.

"We need to keep our vigilance and our security measures as high as we can right through the season.

"That involves night time visits through all the plantations on regular occasions and being as visible as we can to put people off from helping themselves."