Two West Coast pensioners have been robbed of their winter warmth by a cold-hearted thief who helped themselves to the couple's coal supplies.
The Cobden pair, who did not want to be named, said they heard the tell-tale rattle of a shovel in the coal heap early on Sunday morning.
Their suspicions were confirmed by a thin trail of coal left across the lawn.
The homeowners said it would now be a financial struggle to keep their home heated over winter and they were considering borrowing a rottweiler to guard the rest of their coal reserves.
