Man charged over theft of antique clock

Graham Harkin, 57, of Chestnut Walk in Wakefield was charged with theft after police officers recovered the clock from the back of a car.

It was taken from Levens Hall in Kendal, Cumbria, last September, when raiders stole a set of ladders to scale the walls of the historic house.

The ebony timepiece was damaged during the raid and one of its four feet had come off, police said at the time.

Harkin was charged after his car was stopped at Birch Services on the M62 in Manchester on Tuesday.

The Thomas Tompion clock was on loan to Levens Hall, which is open to the public and owned by the Bagot family.

It had been on display at the Elizabethan house for two years.

Harkin was additionally charged with stealing a 50,000 sundial from Dalemain House near Penrith in Cumbria which is still missing.

He also faces charges of driving while disqualified and without insurance.

He appeared at South Lakeland Magistrates' Court in Kendal yesterday.

He was remanded in custody and is due to reappear at the same court next Thursday.