Alliance Cornhill warns of need to insure garden bounty

Alliance Cornhill is warning consumers to take out cover on the contents of their garden shed which could be worth thousands of pounds.

According to the insurer’s survey, 60 per cent of Britons fail to keep their shed secure with a fifth not even fitting a lock, yet items inside are worth an average of £2,000.

With such a hoard tempting to burglars, Mark Bishop of Cornhill Direct commented: “Insurers receive thousands of claims for items stolen from sheds.

“People should only keep the bare minimum of items in their sheds as they are so vulnerable to theft.”

Lawn mowers, bicycles, barbecues and electrical tools are amongst the valuables often left in an unlocked shed.

Although a tenth of respondents were said to use the shed as a place to “escape the missus”, Mr Bishop urged owners to lock them and insure the contents for when not in use as a retreat.