A BURNLEY mother has been left devastated after thieves stole thousands of pounds-worth of Asian gold from her home.

Rujina Begum, 28, and her family were out a ceremony on Sunday evening when thieves 'trashed' the bedrooms before making off with £14,000-worth of Asian gold as well as four laptops, a mobile phone and an iPad.

The raiders broke the lock on Rujina’s back door in Clegg Street East, Burnley, between 6pm and 10pm.

A second similar burglary has since taken place in nearby Elm Street on Tuesday and police believe the two crimes could be linked.

The mother-of-two said: “It’s so upsetting. I just want my gold back.

“That gold was my wedding gold and I wanted to pass it on to my daughter on her wedding day. I had hoped that it would be in my family line for generation to generation and now it is just gone.

“They took everything. All of my gold and jewellery. They even stole my 10-month-old daughter's bangles and necklace. They didn’t even care that it belonged to a baby.”

Rujina, who works as a medical receptionist at St Peter’s Centre, lives with her husband, baby daughter Isha, and eight-year-old son, Ridwan, who she says has been left traumatised by the incident.

“He doesn’t even like going out to play on the street now. It’s frightened all of us.

“I grew up on these streets and have family close by but I just don’t feel safe. I’m watching outside all the time, hoping they aren’t hanging around. I just want them caught.”

Police are appealing for information following the two burglaries.

Police said that a house in Elm Street was broken into between 8pm and midnight on Tuesday. Gold jewellery, along with a large amount of cash, was taken.

A spokeman for Burnley Police said: “We believe that these two burglaries could be linked and that they may be targeted attacks carried out by local Asian men. I would appeal for local members of the community to help us identify those responsible for the burglaries and anyone who may have information about the incidents should get in touch with police on 101 quoting FA1409264."

Anyone with information call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.