“Two ‘premier league’ bird egg collectors have been fined for stealing hundreds of rare eggs after a two year police investigation to find the culprits.

‘Obsessive’ collectors Marcus Betteridge, 52, and Seymour Crang, 49, built up a unique collection of rare eggs after stealing them from the nests of birds including lesser redpolls, tree pipits and redshanks.

Police raided their homes after a two year joint investigation with the RSPCA and National Wildlife Crime Unit and discovered hundreds of eggs, collecting equipment, photographs and diaries relating to activities at nest sites.