AN ELDERLY grandmother fears she will never see thousands of pounds worth of sentimental jewellery again after it was stolen from her home while she recovered from an operation.

The 72-year-old victim was watching television at her Cressex Road home on Friday, September 2, while her husband was asleep upstairs, when a burglar climbed into her flat through an open ground floor bathroom window and stole the jewellery.

She told the Free Press: "An awful lot of it was sentimental to me. We have been married for 50 years and most of the jewellery has been given to me by my children and husband and is irreplaceable."

Among the items taken was a brooch which was made especially for the couple's silver wedding anniversary and a necklace and ear-ring set which was bought in memory of the victim's mother who died in 1988.

The victim was watching television in her lounge between 9pm and 10.30pm while recovering from a double operation on her legs.

The burglar struck when her husband, who is 80, had gone to bed early as he was not feeling well.

She had to take all her rings off as her fingers had swollen as a result of the operation and had left them on her dressing table.

"I would like my jewellery back, especially my brooch, because it's worth a lot more to me than its monetary value. The jewellery is 50 years worth of memories to me and none of it can be replaced."

Investigating officer, PC Simon Reid, said: "The woman was not injured but has understandably been left very upset by this horrible crime, in which irreplaceable items of personal jewellery all around 50-years-old were taken."

Anyone with information should contact PC Reid, at High Wycombe Police Station on 0845 8 505 505