A burglar has been jailed after he left a trail of floury footsteps from the scene of the crime right to his own front door.

Anthony Rudkin (48) wore gloves to ransack his neighbour’s flat in Whitecross Road in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, UK.

He was unaware that a large bag of flour had been spilt over the hallway carpet and he walked through it.

He then returned to his flat having stolen jewellery and a PlayStation 4 from his neighbour who was out at the time.

The neighbour returned and alerted police who attended and followed the trail of flour to Rudkin’s address.

Inside, they discovered more flour along with a pair of gloves and trainers with the same sole pattern as the one left in the flour.

Rudkin later admitted the burglary, on October 11 last year, and was jailed for two years and five months at Bristol Crown Court on Friday.

Speaking after the case, Pc Dave Cousins of Avon and Somerset Police said: “Some investigations are incredibly complex and require some thorough and intelligent police work.

“However, in this case the actions of the victim and the attending officers resulted in Rudkin’s quick arrest and seizure of key evidence.

“Rudkin thought he was being clever by using gloves to cover his tracks but failed to realise he had trodden in flour and led us straight to his front door.

“We treat all dwelling burglaries very seriously as they have a significant impact on the victim.

“And we will relentlessly pursue those who commit these crimes to bring them to justice.”

PA