A BURGLARY at a stonemasons in Worcester proved fruitless when the thief or thieves left empty-handed.

The owner of the business, Tom Adams, said he hoped the burglar or burglars could be traced after leaving footprints in the dust which are now being examined by police forensics officers.

The break-in at Stonemasons of Worcester, Hylton Road, Worcester, which provides natural fireplaces and monumental masonry took place between Monday afternoon and Sunday morning. Police and forensics vans attended the scene on Monday morning to photograph footprints and gather other evidence.

The yard is carpeted in a fine limestone dust, leaving prints for the forensics teams to examine.

The thieves approached the business from the back, broke in through a side window, bent a metal grill to get in, then looked around the office, searching the drawers. They also smashed through a plasterboard wall and searched the yard. But owner Tom Adams, 33, said nothing was taken.

He said: "They haven't taken anything. There is no cash and nothing left on site. They broke into the yard and then went out via the window. I'm hoping there is CCTV footage. The police have been great and they took samples of the footprints left in the dust. Whoever did break in here last night will be walking around with a dusty jacket because they have rubbed themselves up against the tool box while climbing in and out of the window."

A spokesman for West Mercia Police confirmed the burglary happened between 1pm on Sunday and 8am on Monday. The police are appealing for witnesses. If you have information contact the police on 101, quoting reference 138-s-260514.