Thieves have stolen £18,000-worth of modern art from a gallery at a National Trust estate.

Wiltshire Police are investigating the break-in at the Stourhead estate, near Warminster, which happened sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

The raiders stole more than 40 works of art by 20 local artists from the First View Gallery after smashing their way into the historic house and stripping the gallery bare.

Mike MacCormack, property manager for Stourhead, said: "The thieves smashed a window to get into the charity's Education centre in the Spread Eagle courtyard area of the estate.

"They turned the centre upside down, causing hundreds of pounds in loss and damage, but the brunt of the theft was from the adjoining gallery which is run by tenants."

Gallery owners Jane and John Parfitt are still trying to confirm how many items were stolen and are informing the affected artists of the loss.

Mr Parfitt said: "The pieces which have been taken are all very distinctive in style, so we expect the thieves will have tremendous difficulty in passing them on without leaving a trace.

"We're collecting together images of those paintings which have been stolen, or images of styles like them, so art-lovers, other galleries and dealers can be on the look out to help the police with their investigation."

Mrs Parfitt said: "It's very strange. They have taken just about everything - bronze statues, ceramics, glassware.

"They even took time to wrap some of the pieces in tissue.

"We've contacted the artists and they have been very understanding."