Burglars targeted two neighbouring Ledbury pubs on the same night and escaped with money from both.

At the Ring of Bells, in New Street, they took only £150 in petty cash and publican Jenny Simon believes that the faithful pub mongrel, Tizzy, may have prevented the thieves from carrying out a more thorough search of the premises.

She said: "The dog was growling but I didn't get up. She must have put them off from coming upstairs."

Mrs Simon is not certain at what time the break-in occurred.

The Talbot Hotel, in New Street, was targeted some time between 1.30am and 5am, after intruders ripped the cellar hatch open.

Licensee Andy Ward said: "They came through the cellar and broke another door.

"We didn't have residents that night, otherwise there would have been someone on that side of the building."

The burglars broke the reception doorframe to gain access to the locked reception room. They also broke into Mr Ward's office and "turned it upside down" in their search for cash.

Despite the damage to the doors, no one in the Talbot at the time heard anything.

The burglars' final tally was £570 in cash and £100 worth of food from the hotel fridge. Some of the food was apparently eaten by the thieves , with some remains left behind in the cellar.

They are thought to have made their escape the same way they got in.