HEARTLESS burglars stole Christmas presents from a house in Wormley while the owners were in hospital following a serious car crash.

The 64-year-old woman had been rushed to St George's Hospital in Tooting on the Friday before Christmas to be with her husband who had suffered serious back injuries in the collision.

He was the passenger in a Lexus 4x4 which collided with a recovery vehicle in Compton on December 21.

The driver of the Lexus, a man in his 80s, later died in hospital.

When the couple returned home from hospital later that evening, they discovered thieves had broken in and snatched all the presents that were under the Christmas tree.

For full story, see this week's Haslemere Herald.