A Preston garage has seen lead stripped from its roof and the owner’s vintage Jaguar damaged.

Eldon Street garage, in Ashton-on-Ribble, was targeted by lead thieves during Wednesday (23 August) overnight into Thursday.

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Owner Steven Smith said they discovered the theft when a roof tile fell off.

He said: “We were working on Thursday morning when there was this almighty crash from round the back.

“I went out to have a look and there was this big roof tile had come down.

“I got the ladders out and went up for a look and that’s when we saw someone had been trying to strip the lead off. They had got a bit but obviously got disturbed or couldn’t do it.

“While they were up there they must of dislodged the tile.”

Where the tile landed it scratched and dented Mr Smith’s E-type Jag, leaving him with a few hundred pounds of repair work.

He said: “We’ve had someone over from Lea police station and they’ve taken the details, it looks like Roebuck school has been targeted as well.

“I’m looking at about £700 all in for the repairs to the roof and the car.

“We’ve traded here for 60 years and not had anything like this happen. A sign of the times I suppose.”

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The garage remains open and trading while the repair work is carried out.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Preston Police on 101.