A 92-YEAR-OLD widow today told of her heartache after thieves stole treasured memories of her husband and said: "It feels like I have lost him again."

Janey Desmond, of Brunshaw Avenue, Burnley, lost her husband John 12 years ago and bought a statue in his memory because of its likeness to him

But thieves have made off with the ornament and a second statue of a dog which he always used to sit next to in the garden.

Janey, who has two daughters, six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, said: "I bought the ornament of the old man two years after John died because it looked so much like him.

"The man in the ornament had a pipe in his hand just like John always did. It was also the way he crossed his legs when he sat in his chair which reminded me of him so much.

"I used to wake up every morning and draw the curtains to find him in the garden next to an ornament of a spaniel which we always had, and now they have been taken away from me.

"All my grandchildren loved the old man ornament because they used to go into the garden and talk to it as if it was John.

"Now we have nothing to remember him by which is heartbreaking. It almost feels like I have lost him again."

Police today called on the thieves to return the sentimental items after they were taken on Tuesday night.

Inspector Dave Croll from Burnley Police said: "It appears that two concrete garden ornaments were stolen from the address sometime between 10pm on Tuesday and 7am on Wednesday, July 2.

"The ornaments, while of no great value to the thief, are of much sentimental value to the owner.

"With this in mind I would like to appeal to the person who stole them, or indeed anyone else who might have information about the whereabouts of the ornaments, to contact the police or hand them in at the nearest police station."

Janey's neighbour, Irene Marshall, said: "Janey is devastated about the theft. She takes so much pride in her garden.

"Her garden is her own private place and now it has been invaded and the things that are most precious to her have been taken away. It's appalling."

Janey, a retired weaver, said John, who served in the Territorial Army as a gunner in the Second World War, would be looking down on the thieves in disgust.

She added: "John would be very angry about this. I hope these thieves feel ashamed of themselves enough to give them back.

"They are not worth anything to anybody else but they are worth gold to me in their sentimental value."

The first ornament is approximately 2ft in height and depicts an old man sitting in his chair smoking a pipe with a frog on his head, mice on his shoulders and the words "baby minders" on the rear.

The second ornament is a small spaniel dog which has a foot missing. Anybody with information or knows the whereabouts of the ornaments should contact police on 01282 425001 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.