Poilce caught thieves and recovered stolen property before the victim even realised she had been burgled.

Dinah Clarke was asleep in bed and completely unaware there had been a break-in when police telephoned.

Officers found her credit card among the haul and traced her to her home in Albion Hill, Brighton.

Ms Clarke, 52, said: "My partner answered the call and handed me the phone.

"They told me what had happened but I didn't know anything about it.

"It was only when I got up that I discovered four bags had been stolen.

"The burglars had forced open my front door while we were asleep."

The break-in is thought to have happened at about 6am.

An hour later police arrested two suspects in Western Street, Brighton, and recovered most of the stolen property.

The four bags contained Ms Clarke's purse, mobile phone along with homework and school books belonging to her daughters Rhianna, 13, and Lylah, nine.

Neighbours found some of the items in streets nearby in the Hanover area of the city.

Some of the homework was discovered in a friend's garden.

Police handed Ms Clarke her credit cards and purse, minus cash, but she is still missing her diary which she hopes will be found.

Ms Clarke, a computer adviser to students, said: "I want to say a big thank you to all those who found and handed me the items. There are lots of nice people in the neighbourhood.

"And I want to say a big thankyou to the police. They were excellent and did a great job."

Inspector Nev Kemp, of Brighton and Hove police, said: "It is nice for us when we are able to return stolen property to victims.

"We are still looking for more victims. We found 35 rings on one of the suspects and we are still trying to trace the owners."

Two men have been charged with burglary.

There have been a number of burglaries in the Albion Hill area where thieves have forced front doors.

Police appealed for witnesses or anyone with information about the break-ins to contact them on 0845 6070999.