The fight to protect Huddersfield’s heritage from thieves has reached the top.

Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney has held a meeting with Home Secretary Theresa May to discuss stone thefts.

He was appalled by recent thefts of historic Yorkshire flagstones -including many from a church.

And the MP is calling for more action to curb the actions of the stone thieves.

Mr McCartney and the Home Secretary discussed the blight of stone thefts in his constituency.

He said: “I briefed Theresa May on the recent incident when thieves stripped Yorkshire stone paving slabs from a footpath at Christ Church at Linthwaite.

“The 200-year-old paving stones may cost up to £2,000 to replace and repair.

“I’ve met with the Home Secretary before to discuss the number of stone thefts in my area and this week I showed her pictures of the path at Christ Church.

19 stone paving slabs worth £2,000 stolen from Christ Church, Linthwaite.

“West Yorkshire Police and Kirklees Council are encouraging all thefts to be reported and for smart water to be used as a deterrent, but I’ve asked for more action to tackle these kind of thefts.

“Four years ago I joined Parliamentary colleagues in campaigning against metal thefts which resulted in a change in the law to stop cash transactions for scrap metal.

“It’s time to look at further measures to tackle stone thefts”, said Mr McCartney.

The historic stone flagstones are highly prized by contractors and thefts are a regular occurrence.

Even high-profile landmarks such as Castle Hill, visited by thousands of tourists, are prone to thefts.