A thief stole a vessel worth £35,000 after he paddled it out of a Norfolk boatyard where it had been in for repairs, a court has heard.

An investigation was launched after police received reports of a man acting suspiciously on the vessel, called Marsh Fever, as he took it out of a marina near Barton Broad.

The launch, an English Harbour 16 day boat, had been at a nearby yard for repairs and was reported as stolen after it was taken on September 7 last year.

Later on, the boat's keys were found - with a bag of items, including a 1914 military campaign medal and identification documents relating to 65-year-old Kevin Williams - at the bottom of a garden in nearby Stalham.

Following further enquiries, officers recovered the boat near Stalham Staithe.

Police also discovered the medal had been stolen from the Bunker shop in the town.

Williams, from Munnings Road, Heartsease, Norwich, was arrested in relation to the incidents on suspicion of two counts of theft in February this year.

He appeared at Norwich Crown Court for sentencing on Monday, after he previously admitted taking a conveyance without authority.

He had also previously pleaded guilty to theft of the campaign medal.

Williams was sentenced to an 18-month community order, made up of 80 hours of unpaid work, and a six-month alcohol treatment order.

The case had been sent up to the crown court from Norwich Magistrates Court where he first appeared in August this year.

PC Amy Barrell, from the Broads Beat policing team, said: “The Norfolk Broads and our surrounding villages are such valued parts of our county, that it’s a shame when the peace is ruined by incidents such as these.

"We would always encourage people to report suspicious activity to us, as it helps our teams tackle crime across the Broads and beyond.”

Broads Beat officers can be contacted to help in a range of incidents ranging from missing people, to searches, potential drowning incidents and anti-social behaviour.

They are also available to offer crime prevention advice and can be contacted by calling 101.