FAMILY documents charting a distraught couple's entire life together have been taken by burglars who also escaped with £4,000 worth of jewellery.

Today police urged anyone who is offered the haul or discovers the deed box containing the documents to come forward.

Burglars struck at the retired couple's home in Ramsgreave, Blackburn, on Monday.

They took around 10 pieces of jewellery and a black box containing birth and marriage certificates, passports and other papers dating back almost 80 years.

Blackburn police crime prevention officer Sergeant Alan Holt said the box could well have been abandoned in the Lammack, Pleckgate, Ramsgreave or Roe Lee areas because it was worthless to anyone but its rightful owner.

He added: "It has little actual value but is of enormous emotional significance to the couple who have lost it."

The jewellery taken was a 22 carat gold ladies four mm wide ring, 22 carat gold ladies six mm wide ring, a graduated five stone diamond 18 carat gold ring, a fancy scroll ring, a ruby and diamond ring and two signet rings.

A rare Omega ladies watch worth £1,175 was also taken.

Sgt Holt added: "Anyone with any information should contact Blackburn CID on 01254 51212."

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