THIEVES broke into a woman’s home while she was sleeping.

As the woman slept upstairs, thieves forced open a broken sliding glass conservatory door and stole house keys from inside.

They then walked around to the front of the house in Oxlip Road, Witham, before taking a nude colour leather purse and cigarettes from inside a handbag downstairs.

The front door was closed behind them but the sliding conservatory door left open.

The burglary took place between 9pm on May 22 and 7.45am on May 23.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101.