Bleak House

West, who was married to actress Prunella Scales for more than 60 years, appeared in TV sitcoms Not Going Out, dramas such as Bleak House and Gentleman Jack, and soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders.

They had travelled from Newark in Nottinghamshire that evening to raid the property, called Bleak House, where Martin stored antiques.

Bleak House, he said, while already considered in a bad state of repair in 2000, was now "shuttered up and rotting away even more".

Timothy West was known for roles on stage and screen including the TV sitcom Brass, dramas such as Bleak House and Gentleman Jack, and soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders.

He was known for roles on stage and screeen including in TV sitcoms Not Going Out and Bedtime, dramas like Bleak House and Gentleman Jack, and soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders.