Two women have been charged with theft after items of clothing were stolen from the Matalan store in Norwich.

Nickie Masterson, aged 20, and Georgina Sugden, aged 21, have also been charged with burglary, theft and fraud offences after a number of incidents across the Waveney district.

The pair were arrested in the early hours of March 30 by officers investigating an attempted burglary at Barbrook Stores on Lowestoft Road in Reydon. At around 2.30am that morning, officers out on patrol in the village saw a Ford Fiesta outside the entrance to the shop and then witnessed two people running away. The door to the premises had sustained damage consistent with attempts to gain entry.

Other officers were called to assist with a search of the local area and surrounding routes and the suspects were arrested in connection with the incident at around 5.15am on the A145 at Brampton by a police dog unit.

Masterson, of Kingsway, Earsham, and Sugden, of Great Ellingham, were taken to Martlesham Police Investigation Centre for questioning and have subsequently both been charged with the following five offences:

• Theft of a number of items of clothing from Matalan in Albion Way, Norwich, on January 19

• Attempted burglary relating to the incident at Barbrook Stores in Reydon on March 30

• Burglary relating to a break-in at Pammy's Store in Beresford Road, Lowestoft, on March 13 where over £500 worth of alcohol was stolen

• One count of theft and one count of fraud by false representation; in connection with the theft of a card wallet containing bank cards from a woman in a shop in Beccles on January 15, and 17 subsequent attempts to make contactless payments using the stolen cards in Beccles, Bungay and Halesworth on the same day.

Both women appeared before Ipswich Magistrates Court on March 31 where they were granted bail pending a hearing at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court on May 8.

The offence of theft relating to the stolen card wallet and bank cards was withdrawn for both defendants at the court hearing on March 31.