PENSIONER Dee Wolstencroft has made a desperate plea for the return of items taken in a burglary at her Tivoli home.
The 68-year-old woman is devastated sentimental items were stolen in the burglary at her home in Hatherley Street, Cheltenham.
Among the items taken was a gold bangle, given to her by her late husband on her 21st birthday, a gold chain which was a present from her mother and a silver bracelet she was given when she was just 17.
The chunky gold chain was made of two gold watch chains. It had two seals on it, with square disks.
"I was so upset, it was special jewellery," she said. "The front window had been smashed and all the gold and bracelets were taken. They have tried to get at everything and even flipped the mattress. It is all a mess at the moment. Luckily, my daughter and my son came over to help me clear up, but it is horrible.
"They have taken all I have had from over the years. The jewellery was very important to me."
Also taken was a Dell Inspiron laptop, which contained her father's memoir and photographs of her grandchildren, who live in Spain.
"My father wrote his memoir in 1938, before the war. All of it was on my laptop, and now it's all gone. I have to type it all in again," she said.
"I have got six grandchildren and some of them live in Spain. I don't see them very often, and all the pictures of them are now gone.
"I didn't see them growing up and only see them sometimes in the year."
"Everything is gone."
She hit out at burglars for the devastation they had caused.
"I was really sad before, but I am angry now," she said.
"I have been living in this house for years, and I do go and see my children, but nothing like this has ever happened."
The police were notified of the break-in at around 11.40am on Thursday.
Mrs Wolstencroft said: "I got home after being with my daughter's in Tetbury.
"It is some distance away, and when I got home I saw the police had already bordered up the front window.
"I have no idea why the burglars have targeted me, but I hope the police can get some of my stuff back."
Anybody with any information is urged to call police on 101, quoting incident number 124 of 10 January 2013.
Alternatively, you can give information anonymously by contacting the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk .org.