Three people have been arrested and stolen farm vehicles, plant equipment and a horse recovered during a police operation in Somerset.

They were located following intelligence received as a direct result of message sent out through the Farm Watch Scheme last week.

It followed a report of a theft of high value trailers and other plant related equipment from Langport on Friday 20 August. A message about the theft was sent out via the Farm Watch network and as a result of this police received a call on Monday 23 August about suspicious activity in the Tintinhull area in which people were seen moving a trailer and fuel bowser.

Officers attended the scene and a stolen fuel bowser and a further item of machinery were recovered.

A further call was received on Wednesday 25 August which led officers to a site in Martock where further stolen items were located, including two tractors and a trailer.

Sgt Katie Maun, of the Somerton and Wincanton neighbourhood policing team, said: "This successful operation was a direct result of information being passed to the police from the public, which has resulted in a significant recovery of stolen property including three trailers, two tractors, two horse carts and a horse.

"Further items have been recovered which we believe may also have been stolen and we are releasing images of a Makita bag containing a variety of Makita power tools, with the initial's 'JC' written on them, in a bid to identify the owners. If this property is yours, please call us.

"Teams from neighbourhood policing, rural affairs and intelligence were involved in this operation which has resulted in three arrests being made. A full investigation is well underway.

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"This shows the true value of the Farm Watch scheme, which was set up to reduce rural crime and deter offenders, as well as improve the flow of information and intelligence between police and the farming communities and I hope it encourages even more people to join it."

For more information about Farm Watch, including details of how to join, can be found here: https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/apply/farm-watch/

If you have information on the suspected stolen items police have released images of today, please call them on 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5221191617.