Cheshire police have stepped up patrols of rural areas of Macclesfield and the surrounding areas following reports of suspicious activity this evening.

The patrols have included the stop check of vehicles in Macclesfield, Bollington and Sutton to check who is behind the wheel.

In a post on the Cheshire Police rural crime team Facebook page this evening (7 February), PC Shields wrote: "Multiple vehicles have been stopped as we ramp up the support we're giving to Macclesfield Police to tackle the thefts they are experiencing in the rural villages.

"Unfortunately for some it has come to light that a few of the vehicles stopped had expired MOT's so they've been reported and issued a TOR (traffic offence report)."

No one has been identified in relation to the suspicious activity.

PC Shields advised drivers to ensure their vehicles are in order.