Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Ian Luddington has become the latest victim in a spate of rural burglaries.

Mr Luddington, 34, was at home watching television at around midnight on September 27, when thieves escaped with a triple-locked horsebox parked behind a locked gate in the garden of his home in Nettleton.

Mr Luddington and his wife Jo, 34, who was in bed at the time, heard nothing as locks on the gate and two locks on the horsebox wheels were severed with bolt-cutters.

The raiders were so quiet that even the Luddingtons' family dog was undisturbed by their activities.

But neighbours further down the lane from their house have since reported hearing a metallic pinging noise and the sound of a vehicle, which police believe was probably the raiders stealing the horsebox and attaching it to a trailer.

"It's a bit embarrassing that it's happened to me, the co-ordinator of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme, but it goes to show that these are bold thieves who are trying their luck throughout the rural community," said Mr Luddington.

"I went out at around 8.30am the next day to find the gate open and the locks broken on the floor.

"The police arrived promptly and took away the locks for forensic examination, but it was a wet night and they're not hopeful they'll find any evidence."

In a bid to find their horsebox before the thieves shipped it out of the county, Mr and Mrs Luddington contacted the security manager of the two River Severn crossings.

"We have been told that horseboxes are often taken into Wales before being transported elsewhere and the manager kindly checked CCTV footage, but there was only one horsebox that went across the bridges in the hours afterwards, and that was not ours," he said.

The authorities at Holyhead port were also contacted, but there is still no news of the vehicle.

Mr and Mrs Luddington bought the distinctive horsebox two years ago for £2,000.

"I would understand if we'd left it in a field unlocked, but this had three separate locks and they still managed to steal it," said Mr Luddington.

"They probably saw the light on in our living room and may even kept an eye on me watching the television while they stole it."

This is the first time that the Luddingtons have been targeted by thieves in Nettleton, although other members of their community have fallen victim to walk-in burglars.

"People are very concerned and that's why I started up the Neighbourhood Watch scheme a year ago," said Mr Luddington.

"We only had a village meeting a couple of weeks ago, which was attended by Inspector Neil Bagnall from Chippenham Police.

"The police are being very helpful and are stepping up their patrols, but with burglars as bold as this, it leaves you thinking, what can you do?"

The Luddingtons' horsebox has a number of very distinctive characteristics which they hope may help in its recovery.

"It is a Rice Europa horsebox, which was re-sprayed in a maroon colour just before we bought it last May," Mr Luddington explained.

"This is a pretty unusual colour for a horsebox of this kind.

"It is also missing its spare wheel and, on the inside, on the right hand side of the frame which holds the horse, there is an extra steel bar which we had fitted ourselves.

"We would be easily able to identify it as ours."

He added: "We bought this particular horsebox because of its unusual colour and because we thought it would be less attractive to thieves but we were clearly wrong."

Villages throughout North Wiltshire have seen a significant rise in burglaries during the last 12 months.

In recent weeks a 71-year-old widow from Littleton Drew, near Chippenham, was pushed to the ground by raiders who broke into her home and stole her handbag.

Last month Wiltshire Police sent out leaflets to home-owners urging them to be more vigilant, but police said villagers have an important role to play in stamping out crime.

"We would like to urge everyone to keep a close eye out for suspicious vehicles in rural areas and to report suspicious comings and goings," said Sgt Paul Kessell of Chippenham Police. "We are upping our patrols to stamp out this crime, but we rely heavily on the help of the public in these more out of the way areas."

Anyone with information on the theft of the horsebox or other rural crime is asked to contact Chippenham Police on (01249) 654455.