National Trail footpath signs stolen from Norfolk coast Published duration 9 May 2019

image copyright Getty Images image caption The signs were stolen from a section of the Norfolk Coast Path

Thieves have stolen 25 wooden footpath signposts from a remote stretch of coastline in a crime described by police as "bizarre".

The signs were taken from between Winterton and Horsey on the Norfolk Coast Path, one of 16 National Trails.

The timber signs, giving distances between points on the path, were installed and owned by Norfolk County Council.

A council spokesman called their theft "a great shame".

The signs were taken between 27 April and 2 May.

image copyright Getty Images image caption The Norfolk Coast Path passes through Winterton and links with the Peddars Way to form a 129.5 mile (208km) route.

"We regret the theft of signage from the National Trail," said the council spokesman.

"It is there to help members of the public and visitors to the Norfolk coast find their way along the Coast Path.

"Each sign cost around £200 to produce and install - depending on the amount of information and the number of individual fingerposts."

"It is a great shame that this work will have to be redone and it means that other maintenance work will be delayed.

"We imagine it is just an act of vandalism."

The council has appealed to anyone who saw the thefts taking place make contact with the police.