Thieves booked into a bed and breakfast hotel and left with most of the contents of the room.

Lyme Regis police said ‘considerable effort’ had been made to steal the items.

These included an oak-framed mirror, a table lamp, bedside cabinets, towels, a bathmat, hairdryer, cushions and more.

Attempts were also made to take the television off the wall but it was secured via a TV bracket.

Police are now warning other bed and breakfast establishments across the town to take extra care following the incident which took place shortly after midnight on Sunday, November 16.

PC Richard Winward said the thieves drove off in a Mazda or Golf vehicle and may still be in the town.

He said: “It appears at the time of making the booking the people in question didn’t intend to clear the room, but we believe there may have been a disagreement which led to this happening.”

He is urging anyone with any suspicions or information to contact him by calling 101.

He also advised bed and breakfast establishments to take down car registration numbers, in particular if they have onsite parking.

As a guest accommodation owner herself, Joy Raymond of Hedgehog Corner on the outskirts of Lyme Regis, said the incident was worrying for businesses in the town.

She added: “Something like this has never happened in Lyme during my business lifetime, and I’ve been in business 17 years. My thoughts go to the bed and breakfast that was targeted.

“This is an alarming incident and I urge all bed and breakfast owners to be aware. Instant card payments in advance are, in essence, a safety blanket because they give added protection and there’s a trace of the cardpayers details.

“I would strongly advise anyone who has seen or heard of anything suspicious to contact Dorset Police.”