A Gloucestershire millionaire who says ancient flagstones at his country pile were unlawfully taken by the previous owners has stepped up his fight to get them back.

Huh Taylor paid £3.15 million for Eastington Hall, near Upton-upon-Severn, in 1997, but was furious when he discovered that valuable York paving stones had been removed by Theresa Hamer, also known as Baroness Hamer of Alford, and her husband.

He claims around 282 square yards of the "beautiful" stones disappeared from part of the estate, known as the "Dog Garden", detracting from its aesthetic value.

In November last year Judge Rupert Bursell QC, sitting at Swindon County Court, ruled Baroness Hamer and her husband liable to pay Mr Taylor damages which have yet to be assessed.

He also made them hand back two stone lions and 10 staddle stones. But Oliver Ticciati, for Mr Taylor, argued in the Appeal Court last Thursday (June 20), that the judge should have gone further and made the Hamers return the flagstones and pay for their reinstallation.

The barrister told Lord Justice Sedley, who was hearing the case at London's Court of Appeal with Lady Justice Arden and Mr Justice Wall, that Mr Taylor first viewed the mansion in February, 1997.

He noted the "very beautiful and old" flagstones in the Dog Garden and commented they would be ideal for holding open-air Shakespearian plays, before purchasing the house by contract dated May 29, 1997.

But, unbeknown to him, the Hamers had instructed their estate manager to dig up the flagstones on the weekend of May 3-5, 1997, and it was not until Mr Taylor was touring the 300-plus acre estate two years later that he realised what had happened.

"Judge Bursell ought to have found that, under the contract, Mr Taylor was entitled to have conveyed to him the flagstones," said Mr Ticciati.

He added that ordering the Hamers - whose "conduct doesn't invite sympathy" - to only pay damages wouldn't solve the problem as the flagstones were "irreplaceable".

"The stones are far beyond anything that anybody can really supply in the market place," said Mr Ticciati.

"They are particular sawn stone rather than riven flagstones, which are quite unusual."

The Hamers, who now live on the Isle of Wight and are being represented by Sara Hargreaves, are cross appealing against Judge Bursell's decision to make them compensate Mr Taylor.

After a day-long hearing, the Appeal Court judges reserved their decision until a later date.