A burglar who forced his way into the home of an 80-year-old Suffolk man while he was away on holiday has been jailed.

The retired man returned to his home in Hillcrest Drive, Lowestoft, in the early hours of August 31 and as he drove up the road he saw that a window in his front door had been smashed, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

On entering his house he found an untidy search had been made of every room and drawers and cupboards had been opened, said Michael Crimp, prosecuting.

Items stolen from the property included a laptop, a coin collection, a carriage clock and jewellery, with a total value of thousands of pounds.

Before the court was 21-year-old Zac Adams, of Reydon Mews, Gunton, who admitted burglary and breach of a suspended prison imposed in January this year for drug offences.

Jailing him for a total of 1,000 days, Judge Martyn Levett said Adams was arrested after his DNA was found on a stone used to gain entry to the house.