Green fingers tempt garden thieves

The Chelsea Flower Show returns next week and, mixed with a hot summer forecast, the popular fixture will no doubt inspire many people into sprucing up their outdoor space.

Leading home insurer MORE TH>N is offering advice to protect your garden gnomes and their homes from theft.

A quick scan around the average family garden and you could find a state of the art barbeque, outdoor heaters, expensive garden furniture and other garden paraphernalia that all adds up to a hefty amount. It's important to make sure that it's covered by your home insurance.

MORE TH>N home insurance offers cover of up to £2,000 for plants, garden and trees and a further £2,000 for outdoor furniture, heaters, barbecues and ornaments.

To help prevent garden theft taking place, MORE TH>N recommends:

Keep your hedges tidy and trim as it reduces the number of places a thief can hide

Lighting can be a good deterrent to thieves, the best to use is high-efficiency low-energy that comes on from dusk until dawn.

Fencing and gates can help prevent prowlers getting into the backs and sides of your home where they won't be seen by passers-by.

Consider gravel driveways as it's noisy to walk on, which will put intruders off.

Thorn bushes and prickly plants along the edge of the garden or fences can make an extra obstacle for thieves.

Make sure you have a lock on garden sheds, particularly if they contain garden tools and ladders as these could aid a burglar's entry to the property.

Be vigilant in the neighbourhood, if you see someone acting suspiciously call the police.