A Court case against two alleged ram-raiders collapsed because of delays in getting vital police forensic evidence.

Dewsbury magistrates said they had concerns about the length of time it had taken after prosecutors asked for the case to be adjourned until October.

They then discharged the case against defendants Thomas Patrick Easton, 27, and Anthony Wilkinson, 29.

They had been jointly charged with burglary and aggravated vehicle taking in connection with an incident at Woolworths in Heckmondwike, in May, when £10,000 of damage was caused to the store and goods were taken after it was rammed by a stolen car.

Mr Easton, of Harvest Court, St John's Wood, Halifax, and Mr Wilkinson, of Bank Edge Gardens, Illingworth, first appeared at Dewsbury Magistrates on May 9 .

The case was adjourned on that date and then postponed again twice more before yesterday's hearing, when prosecutor Joe Spencer asked for another adjournment until October 4, as the Crown Prosecution Service had not yet received forensic evidence from the police.

The magistrates told the court: "We are concerned about the delays on this matter, so we are refusing the application for adjournment. Matters are discharged."

The discharge means charges could be brought again in future if more evidence comes to light.