Police in the rural areas of the city have recovered a fuel pump which they believe was part of a plot to steal fuel from farms.

The pump was found in a field in Woodplumpton, near Clifton Dairies, after being reported by a member of the public signed up to the FarmWatch scheme.

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Lancashire Police say eight incidents in 2013 have been reported of a fuel pump being used in Woodplumpton and Catforth to drain heating oil from houses and diesel from vehicles.

Police community support officer (PCSO) David Reid said: “This is just one example of where FarmWatch has successfully been used to assist with putting a stop to crime.

“The scheme basically works as a two-way network allowing us to directly communicate with the farming community quickly and effectively. We alert farms to suspicious activity and they can also let us know of anything that they are concerned about.

“We have decided to extend FarmWatch to cover the whole of Preston, so if you live on a farm in the area, I would encourage you to sign up.”

Officers are still trying to confirm whether the pump is linked to recent thefts and there have been no arrests.

There are 800 farms signed up to the scheme in Preston. Anyone can join the scheme by phoning 01772 863390 or emailing david.reid@lancashire.pnn.police.uk