A woman has been left devastated following the theft of her handbag containing two urns filled with ashes inside.

The victim, a woman in her seventies, carried the two urns containing the ashes of her partner and her daughter in her handbag.

The two small urn’s, one black and one silver, which both read “I’ll hold you in my heart until I hold you in heaven” on the front.

The pensioner's handbag was taken from the trolley in Captain Cooks Square, as she visited the YMCA charity shop, Marie Curie and Poundland.

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The woman believes that the theft occurred whilst she was in the YMCA shop.

The bag, which has been described as a “typical” black handbag, had been placed in a trolley as the woman visited shops in Middlesbrough on Saturday 3rd June, between 1pm and 2pm.

As well as the two urns with the family ashed inside, it also contained around £80 in cash, ID cards, an address book and a flip mobile phone.

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PC Shaun Murray said: “We’d like to be able to get the urns back to the woman involved, after all these are irreplaceable and of huge sentimental value.

"Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or may have come across the bag or the items from within, is asked to contact police on 101.”

  • Anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101, quoting ref number 106981.
  • Alternatively you can contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling 0800 555 111.