THIEVES struck as Ilkley geared up for the spring judging of the Yorkshire and Humberside in Bloom competition.

Tony Gilroy, chairman of Ilkley in Bloom, said plants had been taken from a garden on The Grove and from boxes on the Grove Promenade.

"With judging coming up this week that is a bit of a disappointment. Plants have gone from a garden on the Grove and ten plants from the boxes. It was a good thieving weekend," said Mr Gilroy.

The thefts were discovered on Sunday as a dozen volunteers turned out for a last-minute clean-up before judging on Tuesday.

At first they thought the thefts were due to vandalism but there was no evidence lying around the scene.

Mr Gilroy said: "We get a little bit of vandalism but not an awful lot but there were no plants lying around. I think someone has deliberately dug them up and taken them away - we could to without that. " He said that volunteers were trying to get matching plants to replace the ones that were stolen.

Mr Gilroy praised the volunteers who turned up to give Ilkley the last minute 'once over' before the judges descended.

"We achieved all we wanted to achieve in all the areas not covered by the council cleaners," said Mr Gilroy.

Mr Gilroy is pictured assessing the damage to plants in The Grove, Ilkley.