A BACKWELL man has praised the police after his stolen war medals were returned to him and the burglar responsible jailed.

North Somerset Times: Chris and Maggie Paish from Backwell with their medals which were stolen and then returned by policeChris and Maggie Paish from Backwell with their medals which were stolen and then returned by police (Image: Jeremy Long \ JCL Photography)

Bradley Morgan, a prolific burglar and thief from Yate, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for a string of offences across two police districts.

The 35-year-old, of Longs Drive, pleaded guilty to a burglary in South Gloucestershire last November and an offence of passing counterfeit currency.

He also admitted committing a further six burglaries, 12 thefts - including stealing from charity collection tins - one attempted burglary and eight offences of passing counterfeit money through the Avon and Somerset area.

Officers managed to recover several items of stolen property during their investigation, including two Borneo war medals and an OBE medal which had been taken from Chris and Maggie Paish, of Backwell.

Chris, a former RAF pilot, had earned the campaign medals for service in Borneo in 1964 and the OBE belonged to his late mother-in-law for her service to art history.

Chris said: “We are very pleased to have the medals back. They are part of my history so I would have been very sorry to lose them.

“I spent a year of sweat and blood flying over the jungles of Borneo in a war situation to earn them.”

Their property in Long Lane was burgled last November while they were away for the night.

Mr Paish added: “It was largely thanks to the medals they were able to catch the burglar.He tried to sell them to a pawnbroker who didn’t want to buy them but caught him on CCTV and reported him to the police.

“He then sold them to a private collector who was happy to return them.

“The police were surprisingly quick. I’m very glad they caught the culprit. It’s better he’s off the streets.”