A lifelong fisherman called the theft of his fishing equipment 'petty'. 

Michael Hingston, of Heybridge, had his shed broken into between July 9 and July 14 while he was on holiday.

The member of Maldon Angling Society was visiting his daughter Michelle, 46, in Beccles, when the lock on his shed was smashed and £800 worth of fishing rods and kit was removed.

The retired milkman said: “They took eight rods, all my floats and six or seven reels.

“I went down to the shed and saw the lock on the floor.”

He said: “I lost my brother last year, which was much worse.

"We went fishing together for 70 years.

"This is more of a petty thing really."