PUPILS at Stockbridge's Test Valley School have been targeted by thieves who stole their uniforms and GCSE coursework.

A few items were found dumped in bushes and a large quantity of the missing property was later recovered on Lord Romsey's Broadlands estate. But some has still not been found.

Thieves struck while 12, Year 10 pupils were walking on the National Trust-owned Stockbridge Down.

School uniforms and shoes were removed from a parked car, but police officers have yet to establish how the intruders entered the car, which was owned by one of the pupils' parents.

Some house keys were stolen and door locks changed just in case the culprits targeted homes. Irreplaceable coursework was among items that went missing while the pupils were on a Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme exercise.

Stockbridge police officers combed a mile-wide area in the hunt for the missing items. Officers found some clothing in undergrowth.

A member of the public tipped-off Romsey police after discovering school bags and uniforms near Lee Lane about a mile south of Romsey.

Police officers went to the scene and recovered much of the stolen property, which had been dumped under trees and bushes a short distance from the lane linking Romsey with Nursling.