TWO schoolgirls will get a £75 reward for helping police catch a man stealing pet food for his dogs.

The youngsters, aged 12 and 13, were praised by Judge Daniel Rodwell QC at Aylesbury Crown Court this week.

Christopher Grace, aged 33, of Lyndhurst Road, Chesham, admitted burgling a garage and was jailed for nine months on Wednesday.

He stole £130 of pet food from a garage for his two dogs and five cats after one of his dogs lost a leg in an accident. It landed him with a £300 bill.

Helen Khan, prosecuting, told the court Grace was seen stealing boxes of food and cat litter with another man by the two young girls in May last year.

Grace's sentencing had been adjourned while inquiries were made as to whether he could live with his elderly and ill parents at Overdale Road, Chesham.

But Judge Rodwell said the reports had not come out in favour of this idea and added that he had no alternative but to impose immediate custody in view of the Grace's "appalling criminal record".

The court heard that Grace had a long line of previous convictions which went back to 1980.

But Justin Rouse, mitigating, said that the burglary was the first time Grace had been dishonest for several years.

He went on to explain that Grace had been addicted for a time to alcohol and drugs even though he was now trying to remedy these problems.