THIEVES stole specialised machinery used in the timber industry in a raid on an industrial estate.

They struck at the Grove Industrial Estate, on the outskirts of Consett, County Durham, between 6.30pm on Monday and 7am yesterday.

They forced their way into a compound belonging to John Deere Forestry and loaded a Timberjack harvester head, worth £47,000, on a truck and drove off.

The one-tonne machine, which has the model number 758, is used to strip branches from trees and cut the trunks into manageable lengths.

It is such a specialist machine that police said it must have been stolen to order.

A police spokesman said: "This is certainly not an opportunist theft.

"There is a degree of planning and whoever stole it has presumably got a buyer.

"There must be another company in the trade unscrupulous enough to make a bid.

"It is amazing what criminals will steal, but this must have been planned."

The company is in the middle of moving premises, a move well-known in the trade.

Police are hoping anyone driving past on the A692 may have seen a wagon pull out of the estate with the harvester head attached. Anyone with information is asked to call 0845 60 60 365 or 0800 555111.