Two thieves have been jailed after stealing nearly 250m of BT cable by dragging it up from manhole covers.

Bernard Prebble, 38, of no fixed address, faces three years behind bars after admitting stealing the cable, worth £4,180 in scrap value.

Fellow thief Colin Wray, also 38, of Coldharbour Lane, Aylesford, must also serve three years, after being found guilty by a Maidstone Crown Court jury.

The court heard how an eagle-eyed dog walker spotted the cable in a field by Bull Lane, Eccles on the morning of November 2 last year.

It had been dragged into the field after being pulled up from two BT manhole covers and had been cut into sections ready for transportation.

Police saw two men trying to run away from the field.

Search teams found Prebble nearby with a pair of cable cutters, while Wray was discovered in the undergrowth.

DC Alan Poulton from Kent Police said: "I hope that this result sends a tough message that metal theft will not be tolerated.

"We are putting significant resources around targeting metal theft and have organised many dedicated operations to target this particular issue.

"Metal theft may seem a crime without victims, but it can have devastating consequences and can cause widespread and serious disruption.

"Stealing cabling can result in power cuts, which could be catastrophic for hospitals and other emergency service buildings, or leave homes and businesses without broadband, or leave rail passengers to face significant delays."

Luke Beeson, BT’s general manager, for cable theft, said: "Metal theft has a major impact on local communities, so it’s pleasing to see offenders receiving proportionate sentences.

"It’s also great to see members of the public helping to catch thieves by being vigilant and reporting suspicious activity to the police. They can play a vital role in helping combat this problem."