Burglars are being urged to show compassion and return a stolen lock of treasured hair.

The hair was all grieving Pauline and Ron Cummins had left of 18-year-old daughter, Beverley, who lost a two- year battle with leukaemia.

Mrs Cummins kept the hair in her jewellery box, which was stolen along with other items from their Stockton home when it was broken into.

The heartbroken couple have launched a foot weary tour of pawnbrokers' shops across Teesside in an attempt to trace the box and reclaim the braid, if has not already been discarded.

Beverley's collection of inexpensive jewellery was also stolen in Friday's raid on the house.

Toni Glover, Beverley's 29-year-old sister, is appealing to the thieves to take pity and return the hair.

"My mother just wants it back, whether it is returned to a police station or pushed through the letterbox.

"If, at the end of the day, we could get it back, it would be something," said Mrs Glover.

"My mother is mortified, She says her heart has been broken again."

Beverley was diagnosed as suffering from the leukaemia in January 1995 and died in March 1997.

Mrs Glover said both parents were heartbroken when her sister died.

She said: "Mum took it really hard when we lost Beverley and went through a spiral of depression."

Among other items stolen was a gold chain belonging to one of her brothers and a bracelet given by her grandfather to her grandmother, in 1926, inscribed To Betty from Fred.

Mrs Glover said: "We have lost our heirlooms and jewellery which are of no monetary value, but of huge sentimental value. If they would only return the lock of hair to us, it would be enough."

The thieves broke into the house in Allendale Road, Grangefield, some time on Friday afternoon, after throwing a brick through a window.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on (01642) 326326 or Crimestoppers 0800 555111.