A GANG has admitted conspiring to handle historically important antiques worth £5m which were stolen from country estates, including two in North Yorkshire.

Carl Rutter 46, of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, who appeared in court today, was described by officers as a "significant conspirator", the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit said.

He pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court to conspiring to handle the items and will be sentenced with two other men in about four weeks, the unit added.

The valuables, reported stolen from Newby Hall, near Ripon, Sion Hill, near Thirsk and Firle Place in Sussex, included a pair of Louis XVI vases valued at almost £1m and a Chippendale table worth around £500,000, according to officers.

The internationally important twin-leaf Pembroke table was taken from Newby Hall in 2007. It was commissioned by estate owner Richard Compton's ancestor, William Weddell, in 1775.

Darren Webster, 45, of Leeds, and Brian Eaton, 69, of Barnsley, appeared in court in August charged with the same offences as Rutter. Both pleaded guilty but have been awaiting sentence subject to the outcome of Rutter's case.

A total of 14 items were recovered from Eaton and Webster's homes. All have now been returned to the estates.

A Crime Unit spokesman said: "Rutter had overall possession of a number of the stolen antiques which had been stored on his behalf with a view to being sold later.

"Both Eaton and Webster also had possession of a large number of the antiques, some stored at Eaton's home address.

"Webster was described by officers as the lead conspirator while Eaton was responsible for introducing prospective buyers of the antiques to Webster and Rutter.

"The valuables, known to be of significant and cultural historic value and worth a total of £5m, were recovered by officers from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit on September 22, 2011.

"It marked the culmination of a year-long investigation."

Detective Superintendent Steve Waite, head of regional intelligence, said: "We were immensely pleased and proud back in September 2011 to have recovered these high value antiques which were described as true pieces of British heritage.

"Today's plea brings this absolutely fantastic case one step closer to its conclusion. It's a great result for both the officers involved and the stately homes that were affected by these thefts."