A 91-year-old woman from Lyme Regis had jewellery she was planning to leave as an heirloom stolen from her bedroom while she watched television on Tuesday evening.

A burglar stole four rings from the woman's bungalow on the east side of Lyme Regis at around 7.30pm.

Police say the woman, who is very distressed by the theft, heard bangs but thought they were fireworks or the lifeboat beacon.

It was only when she went to bed at 10pm that she discovered her room had been ransacked and her jewellery - which she was given by her late husband - had been taken.

The four rings that were taken included a platinum band with three diamonds in a half loop, a platinum band with a large emerald surrounded by 12 diamonds in a heart shape, a large gold band with a single diamond and a gold band with a single clear stone.

Police say they think they could be looking for someone local after a man was disturbed on a roof in Lyme Kiln Lane in Uplyme in the early hours of Thursday.

They are looking for a man wearing dark clothes and a hooded top with letters on, who they think is working alone.

Anyone with information should contact Lyme Regis police station on 01297 442 603.

* Lyme needs more crime:That's the message from Lyme Regis councillors, who have urged townsfolk to report as many incidents as they can - large or small - to help them in their campaign to have CCTV installed.

Coun Michaela Ellis, who also works at Woolworths, told councillors at Wednesday's meeting that she had been discussing CCTV with police. She said they had told her Lyme's low crime figures would not help the town get CCTV.

"Report every little thing" she said. "If you get your tyres let down - tell them"