A THIEF is being urged to look to his better nature - and return treasured pictures of his victim’s late wife.

The images are on the SIM card of a mobile phone stolen from a man who was out collecting on behalf of the injured soldiers’ charity Help for Heroes.

He was in Morrison’s supermarket on Castlegate, Malton, when the Blackberry phone was taken on Thursday.

The SIM card holds images of the owner's late wife, who passed away recently, and his son, currently serving in Afghanistan, who was flown home to be with his mother before she died.

PC Ray Thwaites said: "The images on the phone are utterly irreplaceable and treasured memories. I urge the thief to examine their conscience and hand the phone in immediately.

"I am also appealing to anyone who can identify the person who stole the phone to contact the police, or Crimestoppers if they would prefer to provide information anonymously, as soon as possible."

Anyone who can help police on 0845-6060-247 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.