The search is on for thieves who stole £30,000 worth of equipment from the operator of the power network for the North West.

The thieves stole a digger from a site on Hall Lane, off Lostock Lane, and a generator from a site on Hacken Lane, in Darcy Lever, over the last month according to an appeal by Electricity North West Ltd today.

On Hall Lane, the offenders entered a secure site with an angle grinder to take a digger. They tried to take another digger but instead stripped it down with thousands of pounds worth of damage done as a result.

On Hacken Lane, the offenders entered a secure site to tow a generator. A number of homes in the area lost power in the process.

The operator of the power network for the North West is working with GMP Bolton on an investigation into the incidents which are believed to be linked.

Paul McMahon, an area manager for Electricity North West Ltd, said: "It is frustrating for assets to be stolen on two separate occasions in Bolton. The digger and the generator both serve essential purposes to help us keep power on for the area.

"We need to put a stop to these thefts and I am appealing to the local community to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in the area and I ask anybody with any information to report it to the police."

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 or the LiveChat on gmp.police.uk.

They can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.