BRICKS and building materials worth thousands of pounds were stolen from an Oakenshaw construction site.

Thieves have been taking the goods from the housing association development on the corner of Rough Hill Drive and Grangers Lane for several months.

The bricks were part of a substantial quantity of building materials, which also included bags of cement and window lintels.

The thefts were discovered during the final phase of building work and security at the site has now been stepped up.

Pc Neil Sharpe said the quantities involved meant a lorry with lifting equipment must have been involved in removing the materials, probably when the site was closed at weekends and after 6pm on weekdays.

"We want to speak to any member of the public who may have seen activity on the site that they thought were deliveries but which happened around those times, which were out of hours," he added.

Call Pc Sharpe on 08457 444 888 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.