An elderly couple face a treacherous struggle to and from their house after thieves stole stone steps leading to the property.

The material was taken from outside the house in Braithwaite Road, Keighley, earlier this month.

In addition to the slabs from the steps and path, the criminals even attempted to take a stone bird bath, given as a golden wedding gift to the couple, damaging it in the process.

The husband and wife who live at the house have asked not to be identified for safety reasons.

Keighley West councillor, Jan Smithies, said she was working with the couple to organise a meeting for residents to help tackle this type of crime in the area.

She said: “This couple’s house is up some steep steps and three of the steps have been stolen, making access to the property very precarious.

“Other pieces of stone from immediately outside the house were also stolen.

“The lady at the house and I are working together to organise a meeting for residents in the area, with myself, the Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s office and hopefully the police.

“Stone theft has overtaken metal theft as a major crime locally. We want to examine ways in which people can look out for each other’s properties, to encourage people always to report stone theft, however small the amounts, and to get the police’s help and advice.”

The Braithwaite Road resident working with Coun Smithies said she and her husband discovered the stone had been removed the following morning.

“We couldn’t believe it,” she said. “Quite a lot of stone had gone – at least 15 pieces.

“With the stone steps taken away that just leaves the soil underneath, and there’s more rain forecast. I’m 77 and my husband is 84 and it’s not easy getting up and down the steps. We’ll just have to try and get them repaired as soon as possible.”