TWO women are to be sentenced after admitting stealing items worth hundreds of pounds from H&M in Northwich town centre.

Lorraine Matthews and Laura Rushworth, both of Ridgewood Avenue in Manchester, were stopped by police on Friday, April 1. The pair had been in a black Renault Megane on Manchester Road at the time.

Earlier that day, the women, who have previous offences for shoplifting, had helped themselves to items worth £611.74 from H&M and left the store without paying.

They were appearing at Chester Magistrates Court on Tuesday, April 19, where they entered guilty pleas.

Matthews also pleaded guilty to another charge of stealing items worth £1,783 from the town's River Island store on January 23 as well to two other thefts from the same store on February 9 and 20, with the value of items taken on those occasions unknown.

The 57-year-old also entered guilty pleas to driving otherwise in accordance with a license and having no insurance.

She was told the starting point for her sentence was a custodial one.

Rushworth, who is 26, was told she can expect a community order at the very least, when the pair return to court on Friday, May 20.

The sentencing of the pair was adjourned until that date to allow the probation service time to produce pre-sentence reports.

Both women where released on conditional bail and told they cannot enter Northwich town centre or any H&M store - this was extended to also include any River Island store in the case of Matthews.