Two shoplifters stole footwear, clothing and perfume worth more than £1,500 in less than an hour, a court was told.

Seherezada Calin, 22 and Amalia Vaduva, 19, took items worth £705.15 from TK Maxx and goods worth £921 from JD Sports in King's Lynn.

Stacie Cossey, prosecuting, said the pair targeted TK Maxx at 11am and JD Sports at 11.50am on Tuesday, November 19.

In both stores, they placed items in bags before leaving without making any attempt to pay for them.

But they fled from JD Sports after setting off an alarm. Both were later arrested, when the goods were recovered.

Calin of Cherry Road, Wisbech and Vaduva of Cherry Street, Wisbech both admitted two counts of theft when they appeared before King's Lynn magistrates.

Andrew Cogan, for Calin, said she had been desperate for new clothes for herself and her children, aged one and two.

"It was an offence born out of desperation," he said. "She is deeply ashamed of what she has done and will not be doing it again."

Charlotte Winchester, for Vaduva, said she had taken the items for herself and her family because she had no work and no money.

Calin had been cautioned over shoplifting in 2017, while Vaduva had no previous convictions, the bench was told.

Magistrates sentenced them to a 12 month community order with 80 hours' unpaid work and ordered both to pay a £90 victim surcharge. No order for costs was made.