RIDING stables in Merseyside were raided by burglars who stole saddles, bridles and tack worth more than £12,000.

The thieves struck at a stables on Hillbark Road, in Frankby, Wirral, sometime between 9pm on Wednesday night and 6am yesterday morning.

When Philippa Johnson, 25, who stables her horses Daisy, Jack and Bonaville at the yard arrived, she found the tack rooms ransacked.

Fellow rider Ali Gayward, who keeps her horse, Holly, at the stable, also had thousands of pounds of kit looted.

Philippa said: “I got a text message quite early and went down to the stables. My showing saddle was made and fitted by a master saddler.

“I qualified for the Royal International Horse Show in July, and so I really need it back as soon as possible.

“That saddle, and the others have a postcode stamped on them which starts CH48, so I’m hoping someone might recognise them.”

Philippa’s mother, Anne Goodwin, added: “They’ve cleared the whole lot out – at least 50 items.

“Saddles, bridles, dressage saddles, top-of-the-range stuff.

“There are about 25 horses on the yard and my daughter alone has had £6,000-worth of equipment stolen.”

The yard’s owner, John Courtney, said he feared that an organised gang could be behind the burglary.

He said: “We do have security there in various forms.

“All the locking systems are hardened steel locks which are used on ship containers, there are security chains on the gates and also we do use CCTV cameras.”

A police spokeswoman confirmed that officers were now investigating the break-in at the Frankby farm.

She said: “A significant amount of horse riding equipment was stolen.

“We are making enquiries with neighbouring properties.”

Anyone with information should call Merseyside police on 0151 709 6010 and ask for the Wirral control room, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.