A judge has jailed two East Sussex burglars for a total of five years after telling them they had damaged the lives of their elderly victims.

They ransacked the Hastings flat of a pensioner whose doctor described him as a heart attack waiting to happen, a court heard.

The flat of an elderly couple in the same building was also ransacked by John Heron and Alan Richards, Hove Crown Court heard yesterday.

Among items stolen was a silver frame containing a picture of the husband's brother in RAF uniform standing on the wing of a Second World War Spitfire.

Jewellery and other property of sentimental value to the victims was also taken in the burglaries in March.

Andrew Baughan, prosecuting, said Heron had earlier broken into the home of another elderly victim on his own and stolen property and credit cards.

He used the cards to buy drink from two local shops and was later identified as the person who had used them after footage from CCTV cameras were examined.

Heron, 33, of Wannock Close, Bexhill, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to two charges of burglary and two of criminal deception.

Richards, 29, of Rothsay Road, St Leonards, was jailed for two years after admitting two burglary charges.

Counsel for both men said they were both addicted to drugs and were both taking positive steps to come off them.

Judge Austin Issard-Davies said: "The damage done to people's lives by burglaries to their homes is massive, particularly for people who are elderly or in weak health, who may come home to find a stranger in their homes who may be armed or violent.

"That fear and uncertainty will live with your victims for a very long time."